A Different Meeting
by EternalSorrow
Summary: Revised. A different story about when Seras first met Alucard.
1. Hunger

A/N: Don't own Hellsing but, like everyone else, wish I did. Poor college kid, so please don't sue!!! Oh, and this disclaimer is for the rest of the chapters!

**A Different Meeting**

_Hunger drives us all, _

_For some, it consumes._

_God, Romania is beautiful _Seras Victoria thought as she walked steadily through the woods. _I'd forgotten how lovely the evenings here were._

Ahead of her loomed the castle surrounded by a high stone wall, looking the same as the last time she saw it. It was in very good shape still, too, especially considering how old the structure was. Seras was surprised no one had claimed it as their own. Though the looks she had received from the villagers when she told them her destination showed they were obviously afraid of it. She had no idea why. It was just a dusty, crumbling piece of masonry that had managed to survive mostly intact.

Still, as she approached the grounds, the air seemed to grow colder.

Alucard was standing at one of the large windows in the master bedroom, taking in the moon slowly rising over the snow capped mountains. He was bored, and a little hungry. Few travelers had come near his castle lately and he would soon be forced to go into the village. Not that he would or could be harmed by that rabble, but it was a nuisance to have to go find food. Suddenly he sensed humans around his castle.

There were two. One smelled like a male and the other female. _Decisions, decisions _he thought. He finally decided to attack the male first and capture the female to save as a snack. Grinning insanely, Alucard vanished to pursue the hunt and quench his hunger.

Meanwhile, Seras stood in the courtyard of the large structure. She was undecided on what to see first. To her right was a chapel in desperate need of repair. The steeple had fallen in, all the stained glass windows were broken, and the stone entrance was crumbling. To her left were the stables, which appeared to be relatively intact. There remained only the main portion of the building. The structure was three stories tall, with large glass windows on every floor. Two large oak doors, flanked by a pair of marble columns, made up the entrance to the castle.

Finally deciding on seeing the stables, she strolled leisurely toward the building. As she entered, Seras realized it was bigger than she thought. There were several dozen stalls stretching along both sides of the walls. Also, plenty of room had been afforded at the far end of the structure for the carriages and groom lodgings.

Suddenly Seras heard an ear piercing shriek, like someone was screaming for their life. She ran outside, thankful for the gun at her side. She couldn't tell where the sound had come from until another shriek was heard, this one more terrifying then the last. As if the person were in the grips of death.

Pinpointing the noises as having come from the chapel, Seras cautiously moved across the courtyard toward the building. On closer inspection, the chapel looked even more decrepit. The walls were in as bad a shape as the entrance, while the roof had sunken in on itself. The doors were rotten and looked about ready to fall off their hinges. There was enough of a gap between the doors for her to peer through and what she saw filled her with terror

Standing among the rotting pews, apparently basking in the light of the moon and reveling in the death of its victim, was a man. Or something that appeared to be a man. She could only see the outline of the figure in the moonlight, standing over whom she assumed was the person who had screamed. The person on the ground wasn't moving, and didn't seem to be breathing either.

But Seras watched with horror as the still form on the ground started to rise to its feet. She choked back a scream as the man stepped into the moonlight.

He wasn't a man anymore, but more like a walking, rotting corpse. His skin was drooping off his face and his eyes were empty, as if he had no soul. The creature started walking, or rather, stumbling toward the figure still cloaked in darkness.

The person standing in the moonlight pulled out a large gun and aimed it at the corpse/man. Seras instantly realized what he was going to do and the screams that had been welling up inside her burst forth. The figure with the gun jerked his head at her and she saw for the first time that he had blood red eyes. Then a shot was heard and something akin to primal fear kicked in, urging Seras to run. But where? She decided on the castle. She may be able to hide somewhere until daybreak, and then make her escape.

Slamming through the massive wooden doors, she skidded on the stone floor and nearly crashed into one of the wooden banisters of the grand staircase. Seras looked wildly for a direction to run and noticed that the main entrance was huge! The staircase had been built in the center of the room and apparently led to the second floor. On both sides of the main hall, several corridors lead off into darkness. Whichever way she went, the decision would be permanent. She decided to keep to the downstairs, leading to a quicker, and less dangerous, escape later.

There was a hall to her far left and she ran toward it. She had just made in into the darkened passage when the main doors were slammed shut, making her stop in her tracks. Slowly Seras turned around, not daring to breathe and unable to move.

Standing there, still holding the large gun, was the man, or whatever he was. He was scanning the hall and seemed to be sniffing the air. Slowly those red eyes settled in her direction and her feet were suddenly able to move.

Seras took advantage of her newfound mobility and ran down the hall, searching for an open door. There! A door to her right had been left ajar, just wide enough for her to squeeze in. As she slid into the room, she caught a glimpse of someone walking down the hall toward her.

Seras quickly looked around, taking in her surroundings. It appeared to be a sitting room, with several decaying chairs settled around a large table. Apparently, ladies of old had used the room to sow and chat away the time. However, now was not the time to think of such things. At the moment, she couldn't get her heart to stop pounding. That man, or whatever he was, had seen her! She needed to find a hiding place and fast!

Suddenly Seras had the horrible feeling of being watched. Eyes were staring, taking in her body and scent.

Alucard watched her realization to his presence, a wicked grin playing across his face. How many years had it been since a mortal had come into his castle willingly? Smelling her scent, he suddenly realized that it smelled familiar. Where had he met her before? He would have remembered a beautiful woman such as this, so the meeting had to have been years ago, when she was younger.

No matter. He was going to have fun with her one way or another.


	2. Fear

A/N: Well, here's the second chapter. I actually have this story done but I'm cruel, so you'll have to wait. Oh, and thanks for reviewing!

_Fear is something to be controlled,_

_Not to be controlled by._

Taking out her gun, Seras slowly walked to the middle of the room. She was terrified. Someone was watching her, she was sure, but there was no sign of anyone. Her breathing came in quicker and quicker intakes. A chill suddenly slid into her bones and Seras noticed she could see her breath.

"Hello there, girl."

Seras whipped around, pointing her gun at where the voice had come from. Only to meet empty air.

"My, my, aren't we the edgy one."

She stiffened. The voice had come from directly behind her. She could feel movement behind as the person leaned down close to her neck.

Seras swivelled with more agility than she believed she had. Apparently the monster was as surprised as she, because he just stood there a few feet away without emotion for a few moments, before a grin slowly spread across his face. But how had he gotten so far away from her in such a short amount of time? She decided the person in front of her was definitely not normal. Even his clothes were strange.

Seras noticed he was dressed in a large red overcoat, which covered most of the dark suit he wore underneath. She could just see a white shirt with a high neck, around which a strange tie hung. He wore a pair of elegant dancing shoes, while smooth white gloves covered his hands. His shoulder length hair was the color of the night and he wore a grin that she didn't like at all. It showed her two large fangs protruding over his lips.

_He'd be kinda cute if he didn't have those huge fangs _Seras thought. _Wait, fangs! _

The girl raised the gun, pointing the weapon at Alucard's chest. To his surprise the gun was held steadily, without the slightest hint of a tremor. This one could be fun to play with, before he satiated his thirst.

"Ah, what might you be, little one?" he said, staring at the gun pointed at him. "An enforcer of the law, hmm? A police girl perhaps?"

"Stay back, whatever you are. I don't want to shoot you, but I will if I have to." Seras was proud to hear that her voice was steady and strong.

"You'll shoot me, Police Girl? Well, that isn't very nice, now is it? After all, you are in my home and one doesn't shoot their hosts."

That statement confused Seras. _His home? But this castle has been abandoned for years!_ _What kind of man would want to live in a place like this anyway? _She tensed as the being in front of her started to chuckle.

"Stop laughing, and don't call me Police Girl!"

Alucard stopped laughing as he looked at her, though the grin remained on his face. "What then is your name, Police Girl?"

"None of your business!" Seras knew she had to by some time and find a way out of this room. This seemed like a good chance. Though she didn't want to tell him her name anyway.

The refusal didn't seem to phase the mad man. He merely chuckled again and started walking toward her.

The sound of a gun report echoed through the room. Seras watched in horror as he stood unfazed by her shot, which had hit him square in the shoulder. An untold fear hit her as she watched him pull the blood and flesh back into his shoulder.

"My god, what are you!" she nearly screamed.

"A vampire, Police Girl. You have heard of them, haven't you?" He didn't need her words nor thoughts to see that she had. Her eyes nearly doubled in size as the fear and knowledge hit her all at once.

Then she blacked out.


	3. Lonely

A/N: Okay, I know this is a really short chapter but I promise the others are longer. Oh, and I really appreciate all the reviews I've gotten! Thanks so much!!!!!!!!

_Loneliness seeps into the soul, unnoticed,_

_Realized only in the company of others._

Alucard watched as the girl slowly slid to the floor, apparently overcome with fear. He glided over to her lifeless form and carefully picked her up. She really was beautiful. But thoughts such as those were pointless. He couldn't exactly keep her around, could he?

That thought had never entered his mind before he saw this girl. But the question would not leave him as he appeared in one of the better kept rooms. Alucard put her gently on the bed and looked carefully into her face.

There was definitely innocence there, and strong determination. As if she wanted to prove to the world that she wasn't just another pretty face. He grinned slightly as she started shifting, trying to wake up.

Seras opened her eyes, hoping it had all been a bad dream. But no, there he was, standing over her with that weird grin plastered to his face. She slowly sat up, watching him out of the corner of her eyes. She didn't want to stare into those red eyes of his. Staring at the walls, Seras noticed with a start that she was in a different room, with the monster leaning over her. That last thought in mind, she frantically searched for her gun, but it was gone.

"Looking for this, Police Girl?" he said, holding up her gun. The games Alucard was playing with her were greatly amusing him. Maybe he should keep her around for a little while longer, if only to entertain himself. He stood up and walked away from the bed, twirling the gun in his hand, teasing her to come and get her weapon.

_How the hell!? _Seras thought.Apparently, he had grabbed her gun while she was unconscious. Great, now she was in an old castle, without hergun and an obvious monster standing not more than a few feet away. Things had definitely taken a turn for the worse sinceshe'd entered this place.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped angrily, trying to hide her fear.

"A scared little Police Girl" the monster answered.

That was the last thing Seras wanted to hear. Being called scared by a total stranger touched a sore spot. And that damn Police Girl name!

"Shut up, you bloody monster!" she screamed.

Her anger only encouraged Alucard's teasing.

"Testy, aren't we? I should kill you right now for such insolence, pathetic human!"

"Then why don't you?" she asked, her curiosity overcoming her fear for a moment.

"Because I may have other plans for you," he hinted mysteriously. Alucard was enjoying this game of cat and mouse. Besides, the girl was actually coping quite well with the situation.

With that answer, Seras gulped nervously. The images that came to her mind were not pleasant.

"Come, you must be thirsty. I know I am." Alucard started walking away toward the door. He stopped and looked behind him. "Are you coming, or would you rather stay here all alone?" He gave her a devilish grin, as if to say there may be dangers here other than himself. She glanced nervously around the room, then realized something.

She couldn't show any more fear in front of this monster, he seemed to enjoy when she was cowering below him. Slowly, she got off the bed and walked toward the waiting vampire. She stopped in front of him and looked into his ruby eyes with an unwavering stare.

"I'll come."


	4. Faults

A/N: Another evil cliff hanger for you all, lol, but the chapter is longer. I love all your reviews and thanks a bunch! You guys keep me going!

_The only thing more annoying than your faults, _

_Is seeing them reflected in others._

The police girl and the vampire were having a staring contest. Not on purpose mind you, both were just too stubborn to look away.

They were sitting in a large kitchen somewhere in the castle, but Seras didn't know where. After she had given the monster her answer, he had grabbed her shoulders and somehow transported them to the room in a mass of darkness. Whatever the person in front of her was, he was far from human. Though, admiring the glass she held in her hand, he did have good tastes.

Both of them held a golden goblet in their hands, sipping from the drinks within. Seras had managed to find a bottle of very old wine in the wine pantry and Alucard was drinking blood. She didn't want to know where that had come from.

_Damn, those eyes of his are creepy_ Seras thought.

"Do you think so, Police Girl?" Alucard asked.

"Wha . . . what?!" Had he just read her mind?!

"Yes, Police Girl. Your mind is like an open book to me. So easy to read, too." He chuckled as her face began to turn red.

Well, that made Seras mad. She liked her privacy a lot and a bloodsucking demon looking into her thoughts was definitely an intrusion. And what did he mean 'easy to read'!? Suddenly a grin appeared on her face, one Alucard didn't like one bit. It reminded him too much of himself.

If this monster was going to read her mind then she'd have some fun with it. _I wonder if he wears any underwear?_

The blood Alucard had been drinking blew out of his mouth, as a coughing fit overcame him.

"That'll teach you to look into people's thoughts!" laughed Seras, who took a drink from her goblet.

Alucard quickly regained his composure at her remark. _Well, two could play at that game_ he thought. "Would you like to see, Police Girl?"

Seras' wine joined Alucard's blood on the wall opposite them.

"What!?" A look of complete surprise mingled with horror ran across her face, making Alucard laugh wickedly.

"Not interested? Well, maybe later than" the vampire grinned slyly.

Seras was still stunned and could only look at the vampire opposite her in silence. Then, collecting her thoughts, she quickly drank the rest of her drink and stood up as if to leave. The vampire quickly rose and grabbed her arm.

"Going somewhere, Police Girl?" he asked, a hint of anger and suspicion in his voice. Did she think him a fool, believing he would let her walk out of his castle without payment for her trespass?

"Not with you holding my arm!" Seras answered hotly. The disappointment she now felt made her angry. She had hoped he would let her go, since he had not asked anything of her for her intrusion onto his grounds. Though the only thing she could think of giving the vampire was her blood, and she wasn't willing to donate any for his 'cause'.

Suddenly the room started swirling and before she knew it, Seras was standing in the bedroom she had awoken in. She pulled out of the monster's grasp and backed away from him. _What was he planning?_ she thought, not without a little fear.

"This will be your room, Police Girl," his arms sweeping over the contents of the room. A large four-post bed sat in the middle of the far wall. Two large windows were set on both sides of the bed, giving a view of the fields surrounding the castle. There was a small table with two chairs in the center, a bureau large enough to fit all the clothes Seras owned, and a vanity desk on which sat a large mirror. Overall, the bedroom was the size of her flat in England and the most elegant room she had ever been in.

But she was a captive. Sure, the room was beautiful, but it was still a prison. She had to find a way out of here. Seras walked toward one of the large windows. Acting as if she were inspecting the view, she took a quick look at the windows. They did not appear to open and she noticed the bedroom was situated on the third floor. _Way too far to jump _she thought, _and using blankets is out of the question without breaking one of the windows._

Suddenly she felt him directly behind her.

"Thinking of escaping, Police Girl?" he asked almost mockingly.

"Stop calling me that, I have a name!" she yelled, angry that he had read her mind once again.

In reality, Alucard had merely watched her facial expressions as she approached the window.

_Such a look of cunning coming from someone so innocent_ he thought. Alucard realized he would have problems with this one. She appeared to have a strong will and a stubborn streak equal to his own. _Damn it_.

"But you haven't told me what it is."

This stunned her. Why didn't he just read her mind, like he had been doing?

He answered her unspoken question. "One is supposed to introduce themselves. Any other way I would consider rude."

Seras snorted. _What's rude is looking into other people's minds without their permission_.

"Seras Victoria" she answered curtly. "What's yours?"

"Alucard. Well then Seras Victoria, I do hope you find your room comfortable. You'll be here a while" he stated mysteriously.

"Why? What do you want with me? Why are you keeping me here?!" she yelled, nearly losing control and giving in to her panic.

He only grinned and Seras watched with horror and fascination as he slowly faded away into the darkness.

She ran to the door. Locked.


	5. Meeting

A/N: Another chapter up! All your reviews are really helping me. Special thanks to Eternal Dreamer and cryearthstearsfalltou for their info. I've tried to make the next few chapters more descriptive and fixed the spelling (It wasn't my fault, I swear! It happened when I loaded the pages onto fanfic! It's out to get me, lol!!). Thanks everyone for reading!!

_Meeting together, the parting of ways,_

_Hope of reunion, in the heart stays._

Alucard growled in frustration. It had only been five days and the girl had managed to escape no less than seven times. Though her stubbornness and ingenuity were something to be admired. Twice by picking the lock to her room, once by throwing pepper into his eyes (where she had gotten it was beyond him), three hard punches to the face while on the stairs, and, finally, the coup de grace. She had challenged him to a drinking contest.

Now, Alucard knew vampires were more immune to the effects of alcohol than humans, so he hadn't been worried.

He quickly regretted his decision. This girl could drink! After the twenty-sixth goblet, Alucard's eye lids were getting heavy and his speech was so slurred that even he couldn't understand what he was saying. "Wuz the matta Seras? Cantcha hold yer drink?" he slurred.

Seras didn't appear to be in much better shape, her head lolling to one side. "Nothin's the matta wi' me. But why are thar three of you?" Those were the last words Alucard heard as his world went black .

Seras watched the vampire's head fall to the table with a dull thud. Shaking off her drowsiness and silently thanking her father's drinking buddies for their 'training', she stood up and ran out of the room. Halting in the doorway, she carefully took in her surroundings. She was unsure of what other dangers lurked in the castle, besides the vampire of course.

Windows lined the wall opposite her, placed every five feet to give light to the otherwise dark corridor. She could also see several doors located along both sides of where she was standing. Noticing through the windows that she was on the first floor, Seras decided to use one of those windows as an escape route.

When Alucard awoke, the girl was gone. Quickly snapping out of his intoxication, he opened all his senses, searching for her.

Seras had managed to navigate through the woods and reach the outskirts of the village before he appeared in front of her. Quietly grabbing her arm, he transported both of them to her room and then promptly left. She was a prisoner once again.

That was two days ago, and she had not seem him since. Only the food placed on the table every night told her he was still around.

Seras sat on her bed, wondering about her exile from his presence. Had she had hurt his feelings, trying to escape so many times? _Wait, what did it matter if I hurt him? _she asked herself. _He's keeping me captive! _She was just too soft hearted.

However, she couldn't help but feel a little glad at the company he had been. After all, there was no one else here to talk to except herself. Then there he was, just standing there looking at her. She smiled shyly, wondering how long he had been there and if he had read her mind.

Alucard had appeared in the room only moments before, still frustrated with her attempted escapes. But something else was gnawing at the back of his mind. He had seen her somewhere, he was sure of it. Then, as she smiled at him, memories came flooding into his mind. He remembered where he had seen her. It was years ago, outside his castle.

Flashback>

Alucard had been walking in expansive forests surrounding his castle. The sun had just gone behind the peaked mountains of the valley and the creatures of the night were starting to awaken.

Alucard had explored every inch of the woods long ago, but there wasn't much else he could do now. The villagers stayed away and only the occasional traveler would dare venture near. Though they did feed his appetite, they hardly ever entertained him in the way of companionship. Probably because he'd scare the wits out of them and then have himself a little snack.

Coming to a large clearing filled with spring flowers, he noticed a figure sitting among the tall grasses. With a sure step intent on terrifying the person to death, he was surprised to find that it was only a child. She had strawberry blond hair that reached to her shoulders and was wearing a white summer dress. The girl was a little short for her apparent age, and had a crooked smile that seemed to brighten up everything around her, even in the darkness of night.

The young girl was sitting among a large batch of flowers, gathering a bouquet for her mother. She was thinking how happy her mother would be to see all these beautiful flowers. The little girl was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didn't notice the man until he spoke to her.

"Hello there little one, what are you doing?" Alucard asked.

The little girl looked up at the figure towering over her, her blues eyes sparkling in the rising moon. _Wow, he must be ten feet tall_! she said to herself. Then, remembering her mother always telling her to be polite, answered "I'm picking flowers for my mom, wanna help?"

This question stunned Alucard. Was she not afraid of him? He leaned down on one knee and looked into the child's eyes. What he saw there was not fear but innocence. This girl had yet to learn of death and the true pain of living.

Ah, but how would those eyes look if he were to show her his true nature? Alucard grinned widely, revealing two large and pointed teeth. They gleamed in the moonlight and could easily be seen by the girl.

The girl looked at the man that had large teeth and suddenly started laughing. This confused the vampire. No one had ever laughed at him, at least, not so brazenly. He looked into her mind, searching for answers. He was struck dumb. One thought was racing through her head. _He looks like a demented walrus_.

Alucard stumbled back. Demented he could handle, he'd been called that before. But a walrus? Didn't this little girl know who and what she was dealing with? Wait, did she even know what she was calling him?

"Little girl," he snarled, "do you even know what a demented person?" Her answer practically floored him.

"Sure, they're people that try to scare everyone away because they're lonely" she said, going back to picking her flowers.

She apparently had not noticed Alucard had read her mind. She looked innocent enough, but this little girl was more than she appeared. The vampire wasn't sure how. Alucard studied the creature before him more carefully. He suddenly sensed something from this girl, a strength so powerful that it made him wonder how he hadn't noticed it before.

"Mister?" asked the girl, wondering why he was looking at her so intently.

"What is your name, little girl?"

The girl proudly raised her chin. "Seras Victoria."


	6. Pain

A/N: Okay everyone, I'll be off the internet for a couple of days so no updates till then. Anyway, I'm not too fond of this chapter so you can write that it sucks. And as always, thanks to all my readers and reviewers!!!!!!

_Memories echo, wandering in the mind,_

_Unchanged in a changing world. _

This small girl named Seras Victoria had great potential, Alucard could sense it. That power was from one of strong will and determination. Someone who was willing to do anything to survive, someone suitable for an immortal life.

While pondering this new revelation, and the potential of this little girl, Alucard heard a woman's voice float from the woods. Whoever she was, she was calling Seras' name. Before he could stop her, Seras quickly rose and sprinted toward the voice. Turning for one last wave, she disappeared with her bouquet into the trees surrounding the meadow.

Leaving Alucard to muse over the conversation with the little girl, and the power that had emanated from her.

End Flashback>

This was just too perfect. The little girl had returned to him and this time, he wouldn't let her go.

"You've been in Romania before, haven't you Police Girl" stating it rather than asking.

This statement took Seras by surprise. _How had he known that?_ Then her eyes drew into slits as she realized he had probably read her mind.

"Would you stay out of my head?! It's none of your business if I was in Romania before or not!"

"I did not read your mind. We have met before."

"Huh?" _We've met before? _Seras thought._ What was he talking about? I think I would have remembered meeting such a creepy guy. _Seras started to wonder if the monster before her was playing with her mind again. Of course, she couldn't remember much of her life after arriving back in England.

Alucard stared at her expressions, which showed him she really did not remember. Well, he would have to remind her, wouldn't he?

Suddenly Seras noticed that he was slowly approaching her. He had a look on his face that she had never seen before. And she didn't like it.

Standing up, Seras started inching away from Alucard. "Stay back, monster! What are you going to do?!"

"Make you remember."

Alucard lunged forward and gripped her shoulders. He looked into her crystal blue eyes, gaining control of her mind, searching for the memories. There! Buried deep in her mind. He wondered why they were so far down. But curiosity could wait.

He let go of Seras' mind and watched her reactions as the memories surfaced to her mind. Her eyes widened as she watched their first meeting. Every detail, every word came flooding into her, as if the memory had taken place just yesterday.

Suddenly, another memory surfaced, one that brought tears to her eyes. A memory she had desperately tried to forget.

"I guess... " she started to say, then paused, trying to control the sobs rising in her throat. "I...guess I didn't want to remember those happy times. They only reminded me of what I'd lost. Those innocent memories, they ended soon afterward. Like everything does" Seras said bitterly.

Alucard watched the girl in front of him with something akin to pity. He was able to feel Seras' emotions, and they were almost more than he could handle. Sadness being the most prevalent among the mix of shock, anger, and disappointment. He hadn't expected his memory retrieval to bring forth such painful memories. But these were demons the girl had to face, for herself and what he had planned.

Attempting to compose herself and failing, Seras still continued to speak. She was hoping that maybe, just maybe, the pain would go away if she told someone. Anyone. Even this monster. "We didn't have a chance to have any more family trips after Romania, because my mom...died soon after we returned to England. The train we were traveling on was going too fast, it derailed, and...and...and she died and there was nothing I could do to save her!" her screams echoing eerily throughout the large bedroom.

Here she broke down, unable to control the wave of sadness that engulfed her.


	7. Friendship

A/N: Alright, since this chapter is so short and I promised no more short writings, I've posted it with another one. So here it is!!!!

_Friendship grows with time,_

_Each sharing in the others pain._

Alucard watched as Seras' sobs wracked her body, unsure of how to comfort her. He hadn't dealt with a weeping female in over five hundred years, and therefore, was a bit out of practice. However, he wrapped his arms around her, the only gesture he could think of doing.

Feeling his arms encompass her, Seras reached up and gripped his shirt, silently thankful for the small comfort he gave. There they stood for several minutes.

"Have you no family?" he suddenly asked her, after her sobs had subsided to sniffles.

Slowly, Seras lifted her head to look at himHer eyes were still swollen and her face still red, but the intense gaze of the blue crystal eyes had returned. She had a look of confusion on her face, but answered his question. "No. My father was killed three years ago and...and I have no other relatives."

Alucard wasn't sure why he had asked that question. It couldn't be because he cared whether she was lonely or not, could it? Maybe it would make changing her easier if she had no attachments to her current life. That had to have been the reason for asking such a pointless question. For after remembering his first encounter with Seras, Alucard had made his decision.

Seras pulled herself away from Alucard, attempting to regain her composure. She didn't want to appear weak in front of this man. _Wait, man? This is a monster in front of you Seras! He drinks people's blood to survive for God's sake! Get a hold of yourself!_

With the remembrance of what he was, a thought forced itself into Seras' mind, making her shudder. _How often did he have to drink? _It had been a while since she last saw him with blood, and the realization made her uneasy. After all, she was a perfect target if he did get hungry.

Alucard was still staring at her, his grin eternally plastered to his face.

"I am able to go long periods without having to quench my thirst, so you needn't worry yet."

"Right. That brings me so much comfort," Seras said sarcastically.

Her mind began to wander back to thoughts about her mother and that horrible day.

"Don't let unpleasant memories bother you, Police Girl. They will only hold you back."

Seras jerked her head up to face him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. _Was he trying to comfort me!? No, he couldn't be, could he? Not after all those times he tortured me! But what if he was? Argh!! He was just too confusing!_

"Stop calling me that!!!" she yelled.

Hearing the annoyance in her voice, Alucard laughed. She would make the perfect fledgling. Now, only to convince her....


	8. Sin

A/N: I'm back with another chapter!!!The last few chapters were more of a character study, but I'll try to make use of the PG-13 rating soon. I also reloaded the first four chapters, making them more descriptive. As always, thanks to my readers and reviewers!!

_Heart closed to the conflict within_

_Eyes shut to the obvious sin._

After the memory confrontation, Seras did not attempt to escape anymore. She wasn't sure why, but the castle felt a little more like home to her. Besides, Alucard now allowed her to leave her room and explore her surroundings, with him as a chaperone.

So at her request, Alucard and Seras were walking the grounds of the castle. It was early in the evening, and the cloudless sky showed a full moon just rising above the high peaked mountains. With the old castle showing in the foreground, with its many towers and picturesque gothic masonry, the sight was breathtaking. However, only Seras was enjoying the view. Alucard was too deep in thought to pay heed to the surroundings.

_This girl is more stubborn than I thought. _She had repeatedly refused his offer, which frustrated his plans. Not that Alucard couldn't take her anyway, but the power transfer by blood would be stronger if she took it willingly. And he wanted his first fledgling to be as strong as he knew she could be. Suddenly, a thought struck him.

"I ask again, will you join me?" he questioned, knowing the answer before she spoke.

"No thanks, I don't like the idea of being a walking corpse for eternity" she said sarcastically. Seras was becoming really irritated with his continuous pestering. Since he had revived her memory of their first meeting, Alucard had asked her that question at least a dozen times. Always she had given him a definite 'no'.

Seras was fully aware of the price the gift being offered to her brought, having read vampire stories as a child. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of living forever, and definitely did not want to survive by preying on others. She knew her guilt would grow with the endless years. That kind of existence didn't interest her one bit. Seras was snapped out of her thoughts by Alucard's voice.

"What if I took you by force?" he asked, a hint of malice in his voice. He approached her slowly, watching her reactions.

She moved away from Alucard quickly, her heart rate increasing with each step. All Seras could think was, if he wanted to, he could take her. And she nor anyone else would be able to stop him. Not that there was anyone else who came near this old decrepit castle. Suddenly her back hit the crumbling wall that surrounded the castle. She was trapped.

Alucard removed his gun from his inner coat pocket and aimed it at the girl's heart. "Answer me this, Police Girl. Do you want to die?"

"Not especially." _My God, is he going to shoot me!?_

"Then why do you refuse my offer of immortality? You know that all humans die eventually. I could shoot you right now and your life would end. So why do you hang onto your humanity? Why not embrace what you can be?" To emphasize his point, Alucard cocked the gun.

"Why do **_you_ **hang onto your humanity?" What was he trying to do, scare her into joining him? If so, then she wasn't going to let him.

"What are you talking about?!" snarled Alucard, clearly angered and confused by the question.

"Taking pleasure in others pain is not something limited to vampires, Alucard."

For a moment Seras truly believed he was going to shoot her. Then he slowly lowered the gun, letting a small chuckle escape his lips.

"As insightful as ever, Police Girl. Still the same little girl I met all those years ago."

Seras breathed a sigh of relief, then thought about what he just said.

"You'll never use my real name, will you Alucard?"

Alucard merely laughed in response.

The Village Near the Castle 

The train arrived, late as usual. None of the villagers were sure why there was a station here in the first place. It was a rare sight to see a traveler and the locals did not leave their tiny village.

So the small groups of men discussing business around the station were surprised to see a stranger step off the train. The man stood near the train, apparently looking around. This gave the locals an opportunity to examine his appearance. He was dressed in a large grey overcoat and around his neck he wore a large silver cross. His blond hair was cut short and the large glasses on his face hid his eyes, which were a piercing green.

But what the villager men really took heed of was the aura that surrounded the stranger. There was a feeling of age, as if someone had placed an old man's soul into this young man's body. An untold amount of experience lay behind those eyes that inspected the surroundings.

Having taken note of every detail, the man began to walk along the station platform with an imposing stride. One thing was certain, this man was here for a purpose, and no one could stop him from completing it.

No one spoke to him as he left the station. The villagers kept mostly to themselves, unconcerned with the business of outsiders. Also, this man with the strange feel about him frightened them.

The stranger had been searching for a long time. And now, he'd finally found him. The demon had returned to his homeland while the man had traveled the globe, destroying the filth's kind.

He no longer cared about freeing the monster's soul. He was out for revenge. The bastard had killed his friends and destroyed his home. And he would pay dearly.

A grin filled with malice spread across his face as he made his way into the sleepy village.


	9. Revenge

A/N: If you can't understand half of what the priest is saying, then I've done my job well, lol.Another cruel cliffhanger, too. As always, thanks to my readers and reviewers!!!!!!

_Revenge burns deep into the soul,_

_Never forgotten nor quenched_.

The vampire and Police Girl were returning from their excursion of the grounds. Alucard and Seras walked silently along the corridor toward her room, the only sounds heard were Seras' footsteps as they echoed on the cobblestones that made up the floor. The moon was casting its light through the many windows, illuminating the stone walls and creating a curtain of shadows at the far end of the hall.

Suddenly Alucard caught Seras' arm, causing her to stop. She looked into his face, wondering why he had stopped her. Seras immediately noticed there was something wrong. The grin on Alucard's face had vanished and his eyes were mere slits. Looking in the direction of his eyes, she caught sight of a man down the hall. The shadows hid most of him from her view, but she could see a large silver cross around his neck, glistening in the moonlight.

"Retched human, how dare you enter my castle?! Have you no manners!?" Alucard spoke clearly, cursing himself for not noticing the man earlier. Thoughts about the girl beside him had greatly distracted him.

"Ah've come tae rid this world of ya, monster!" spoke the figure as he started walking toward them, footsteps barely heard touching the floor.

"I have heard those words many times, human" Alucard snarled, placing as much venom in his words as he could. "What makes you different from the others?"

The stranger stopped a few feet from the couple. "Ah have the true power o' God on my side and Ah will avenge my friends' deaths."

"Friends?" Alucard had no idea what the man was rambling about, but maybe this one would give him a challenge.

"Aye, the group ordained by God tae rid this world o' yer kind. The Iscariot Organization, which ye so brutally destroyed! Ya desecrated my friends' bodies and souls wi' yer sacrilegious touch!"

Alucard's eyes lit up with remembrance. He thought he had annihilated all the members of that accursed group, but this one must have eluded his carnage. "Ah, yes, the Vatican puppets. My, my, I'd almost forgotten that bit of fun."

"Ye filth! Ah'll see ye burn in hell fer wha ye've done!"

"Poor little Vatican dog. Still mad that I destroyed your precious Iscariot?"

Alucard swiftly pulled out his gun, and fired at the priest's forehead. The man fell to the ground, his body twitching.

"Pathetic," Alucard said. "A waste of my-" Suddenly the body started to rise

Seras watched with horror as the priest rose to his feet, the bullet hole smoking in his forehead. She had to stifle the scream that had risen in her throat, knowing her fear would distract Alucard from the battle. However, she couldn't hide the pity she felt for the priest standing before them. He was some sort of an abomination. Not man, but not monster either. A soul trapped somewhere between the two.

"Ah, a regenerator, Iscariot's pet project! This could be more fun than I thought!" A grin of wild amusement spread across his face at the prospect of a worthy opponent.

The priest took no notice of Alucard's words, because he had suddenly noticed the vampire's companion. He shifted his eyes to look at Seras. "Ah see ye've picked up ae wench, vampire. Is the monster lonely?" he asked mockingly, a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Human filth! I should have destroyed you along with your pathetic friends!" Alucard growled, attempting to control the anger welling up inside him. The priest's words affected him more than Alucard thought they would. "Those fools were little more than entertainment, barely lasting a few minutes each. Their blood was very sweet, though" he added, his insane grin returning to his face.

"Ya damn monster!"

Seras watched the exchange of words silently, her mind trying to comprehend the situation. _Why did this man hate Alucard so much? What was this Iscariot organization? What had Alucard done to it? _

"A monster am I? What does that make you, hmm?"

"Remember my name, monster," the priest said, voice little more than a whisper. Seras could feel the indescribable hatred behind his words. "It'll be the las' thing ya hear befoor Ah send yer soul tae hell. Paladin Alexander Anderson."

With that said, hundreds of incantation sheets flew from beneath the priest's coat. They were pinned to every corner of the hall by small daggers, preventing Alucard from casting any of his vampiric magic. Then, taking two swords from his overcoat, he charged toward the vampire and girl.

Alucard pushed Seras to the side as the priest ran toward them, blades glistening in the moonlight. He did not want her caught in the middle of the battle.

However, Alucard did not bother pulling out his gun. The fight was little more than a mockery. The Vatican was too angered by the vampire's words to concentrate on the fight, allowing Alucard to easily dodge his swords. Amusingly, most of the blows appeared to be aimed only to incapacitate him. Apparently the priest wanted to make him suffer for the destruction of his precious Iscariot. After a few minutes of this, the fight became tedious for the vampire.

When the priest aimed another stab at his shoulder, Alucard deftly grabbed the Vatican's wrist and violently twisted it back. Seras could hear the snaps as his wrist was broken in several places. With his free hand, Alucard grabbed the front of the priest's coat and lifted him off his feet.

"You antics bore me, human filth." With that, he launched Anderson into the wall opposite him. The impact made a dent in the stones, and the audible cracking of several ribs echoed down the hall. Sliding down the wall with his breath knocked out of him, the Vatican could only glare at the abomination.

"You disappoint me, priest. I thought you would give me a decent battle, especially with how your friends bragged about you before I drained them." Here he chuckled slightly, remembering the threats they had made. How the priest would avenge their deaths with no mercy toward the monster.

With his wrist and ribs now healed, Anderson stood and once again charged the vampire. His speed was increasing as he took control over his emotions. A quick jab with one of his swords brought a low growl from Alucard and Seras could see a stream of blood seep from his side.

"You've put blessings on those blades, haven't you?" Alucard asked, with a hint of amusement and annoyance in his voice. The priest gave the vampire a cruel smile.

However, as Anderson pulled the blade out, he watched with horror as the wound quickly healed. _No, tha's not possible. The blades are made o' silver and blessed by the pope himself! _

Another few stabs connecting with the vampire's body also ended with the same result. The wounds healed quickly and the priest's sword thrusts did not seem to slow the monster's movements. Anderson realized there was only one way he could deal with this monster. It would take most of his strength to accomplish the task, but it was the only way. The binding spell.

Alucard watched with curiosity as the priest jumped away from him. _What trick has the Vatican up his sleeve?_

Crouching down, the priest started muttering under his breath. The words were too low for the vampire to distinguish them, but from what he saw, Alucard knew the human was casting a spell. Suddenly, two long strips of incantation sheets flew out from underneath Anderson's coat. The papers wrapped one of their ends around Alucard's wrists, while the other ends drove deep into the stone behind him, pinning the vampire to the wall.

Alucard struggled against what he realized to be a binding spell, but the more he pulled the tighter the papers' holds became. This Iscariot dog had more power than he had given him credit for. He was trapped.

With his remaining strength, Anderson threw a sword straight toward Alucard's heart. The destruction of the monster's heart would give the priest ample time to destroy the rest of the vampire's body. Finally giving him the vengeance he'd sought for so long.

Standing there, bound by the Vatican's spell, Alucard could only watch as the blade flew toward him. Then movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention.

Seras now stood in the path of the oncoming sword.


	10. Death

A/N: Another chapter for everyone! A little shorter than the last, but I think the content is more interesting. Thanks as always to my readers and reviewers!!!

_At one point, death takes us all,_

_But few decide when that is._

Seras screamed as she felt Anderson's blade sink into her stomach, the tip coming out through her back. Blood cascaded from the wound like a horrible waterfall, quickly covering the ground around her. The pain was unbelievable, a strangled gasp escaping her lips. As she slowly slid to the floor, her vision began to blur and her body felt like it was on fire. She ears barely registered the inhuman roars behind her, yelling her name. Seras felt herself being lifted up and then, darkness.

Alucard watched as Seras' body fell to the floor, impaled with the priest's blade. Suddenly, he felt a new emotion fill his being, one he hadn't felt in many years. Pure, unrestrained rage. His eyes turned a deeper crimson and his fangs grew to their full length. His normal attire transformed into what appeared to be a black straight jacket, and his hair grew to knee length. With a single thought, all light in the hallway was extinguished.

Anderson watched with horror as the monster in front of him changed from a bloodthirsty vampire to something more resembling a demon from hell. The air turned cold and shadows engulfed the light. His incantation scripts burst into flames. By the light of the burning paper he could see the monster push off from the wall.

The sudden surge of emotion had given Alucard the power to break the binding spell. The paper incantations were torn from the wall, along with most of the stone. Now free, he ran toward Seras' body and quickly scooped her into his arms. Vanishing into the night, the priest was left standing alone and confused.

Seras' Bedroom>

Alucard laid Seras carefully on her bed. As he looked at the blade in her stomach, his body slowly changed back to his usual form. The long knife had pierced both her liver and stomach, causing major internal bleeding. Slowly pulling out the priest's sword, he quickly wrapped a blanket around the hole. But the blood only soaked through the temporary bandage.

Meanwhile, the same two questions whirled around his mind. _Why had she done that? What could she have been thinking? _But he had more pressing matters right now.

He sat on the bed and urgently shook her shoulders, trying to bring her back to consciousness.

"Seras! Seras!! Wake up!!"

_Is that Alucard? Why is he yelling? Why is it so hard to open my eyes?_

Alucard watched as Seras' eyes slowly opened, relief washing over him. Lifting the blanket, he looked carefully at the wound in her stomach. She wouldn't last much longer, there was too much blood lost.

"Seras, you must listen to me carefully. You've lost too much blood. If you do not drink from me, you will die." He watched her eyes lighten up with understanding. This would be her decision. He would not force her to drink if she refused. "You must decide quickly!"

_I have to drink his blood, become like him? Could I live with myself? But if I died, he would be sad, once again alone. And I don't want to die, not yet. _

She made her decision.

"Do it" came the answer.

Alucard smiled, the first true smile Seras had seen him use. He lifted her head to reach her neck more easily.

As he bit into her neck, Seras wondered if it would hurt.

What came next was totally unexpected. She had never felt such ecstacy in her life. It was as if her whole body and soul were being engulfed in flames and, at the same time, lowered into an icy lake. She gripped the sheets as the sensations came flooding into her. Fire spread inside her, arousing Seras' body and soul with the need for more. Fluid hands stroked every inch of her skin, slipping in and out the curves of her body. The feelings caressed her body slowly, encompassing her entire being. Seras arched her back and moaned, savoring the moment that seemed to last for eternity. But her grip on the covers was growing weaker, as her life blood was slowly drained from her. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open and her body was becoming limp in Alucard's grasp.

All of a sudden, Seras's entire body went numb. Alucard pulled away from her throat and looked at her for a moment, as if to see if she was all right.

Seras' cheeks were flushed and her eyes had a glazed look to them. She was also breathing heavily, as if she had run a great distance. Alucard smirked, aware of the sensual pleasures his kiss brought to mortals. Removing one of his gloves with his teeth, he lifted the hand and drew a sharp fingernail across his neck, causing blood to spill down his shoulder.

Alucard raised Seras up to his bleeding neck. "Drink."

The taste of warm blood filled her mouth. She drank carefully at first, unused to the taste and feel of the liquid sliding down her throat. Slowly, Seras could feel the blood fill her body with a warmth foreign to her, while a new sensation filled her soul. She began to suck faster, taking in larger amounts of the life elixir. Because the more she drank, the more her body craved for it.

Not since his turning those many years ago had Alucard felt another drink from his blood. He'd forgotten the ecstacy of giving his life energy to another, so that they may live. The sensations of minds drawing ever closer, becoming nearly one, of the mingling of souls to create a new life, were almost intoxicating. But the moment of bliss had to end.

Slowly, Alucard pulled her away from his throat and laid her on the bed. A soft moan of protest came from Seras' lips but she was too weak to struggle. Leaning down, he began to lick the spots of blood from her face. Reaching her lips, he locked his own over them, enjoying the warmth of her body while it lasted. Hearing a surprised gasp from beneath him, he slowly broke the kiss. Pulling back, he watched the death of the young woman.

Seras felt her body growing colder. The warmth of Alucard's kiss and blood were quickly draining from her. She could hear her heart thumping slower and her breathing coming in fewer and fewer intervals. Until finally, it stopped. Darkness engulfed her.

Alucard watched with fascination as the half lidded eyes clouded over with mist, turning the sky blue color to one of blood red. Her teeth grew longer and pointed. The pale skin grew paler as death crept into her body. She was even more beautiful as a vampire.

Feeling weak from the blood transfer, he settled his back against one of the bed posts and waited for his child to awaken.


	11. Wanderer

A/N: I mean no disrespect toward Anderson fans, so please don't be angry with me, I know not what I do! Or maybe I do, lol. Thanks to my readers and reviewers!!

_The end of a journey_

_Brings peace to the wanderer._

Anderson furiously wandered around the stables once more, searching for his prey. _Damn tha' woman! Ah woo' ah had my revenge_ _if not fer her meddlin'._

He'd been walking the grounds of the castle for a good two hours without any sign of the monster or his woman. The priest never thought to look in the hall in which they had been battling, not believing the vampire to be so brazen as to use one of the bedrooms along the corridor.

Anderson was about to give up the search and torch the entire place, when he walked into the courtyard and stopped. There stood the monster, gun in hand and apparently ready for combat.

_Ah, so the vile creature wu like tae play one las' time._

The priest's strength had returned during his excursion of the grounds, so he was more than prepared for a rematch.But something seemed different. The monster wasn't grinning madly or looking even slightly amused.

"Whit did ya do tae yer little wench, vampire? Did ye suck her dry or give her ae quick death?"

Alucard merely stood there, his face like a statue's. There was no mirth in his eyes, only unrestrained hatred.

"Cat got yer tongue, monster? Well then, we'll end this quickly."

Anderson kneeled down, attempting to perform the binding spell once more. But Alucard would not fall for such a trick twice. He appeared before the priest and grabbed him by the throat, cutting off his air and breaking the spell.

The priest struggled in the monster's grasp, panic rising in him due to the lack of oxygen. He reached into his coat and pulled out one of his swords. Anderson jabbed the blade at Alucard, who deftly dodged the attack but was forced to release his captive.

Now free of Alucard's strangle hold, Anderson pulled out another of his blades and ran toward the vampire. This time Alucard made no effort to dodge the attacks, meaning several dozen swords quickly found their way into the vampire's body.

Jumping back in surprise, the priest tried to understand why the monster did not fight back or make any attempt to escape the blows.He only stood there silently, a small amount of blood seeping from the wounds caused by the blessed blades. Anderson noticed the holes did not seal up as quickly as before.

"Whit, abomination, no fight left in ya? Are ye that saddened o'er ae mortal's death?"

"She will not die," Alucard said quietly. He began to remove the blades from his body, not wanting them to hinder his next movements.

Then Anderson realized the horrible truth. Why this monster's wounds would not heal as quickly. Why there was less blood seeping from the injuries. He had given his power and blood to spawn another of his kind. He had defiled yet another soul!

"Ye'll pay fer whit ye've done tae her soul, monster! And afta I'm doon wi ya, Ah'll free her soul." Anderson took out two more blades from his coat.

The monster merely chuckled, obviously not effected by the priests words.

Charging Alucard once again, the priest struck out furiously. Unfortunately, he was using too much energy on too few blows. The vampire had decided to join the fight in earnest and was now easily dodging his attacks. This only made Anderson angrier. He wanted the monster to die for everyone he had desecrated, for all the lives and souls he had taken.

The priest never noticed the gun aimed toward him until he felt a blinding pain in his chest.

Alucard shot the priest in the heart, knowing that organ would take longer to heal than any other part of his body. He would take his time finishing Anderson, wanting him to suffer for what he had done to Seras.

Putting his gun away, Alucard picked up one of the blades the priest had dropped, and began to walk toward the kneeling Iscariot. The shot had also ripped through most of Anderson's lungs, so the priest was having difficulty breathing. Meaning he could only watch as the vampire approached him.

Stooping down to look into Anderson's eyes, Alucard searched the priest's mind for one emotion. Guilt. Guilt for what he had done to Seras. But he saw nothing but hate and contempt for vampires and anyone who associated with them. This made him furious.

Anderson screamed as he felt his arms sliced off with his own blade, blood flowing freely from the opened flesh. Before his screams had died, the priest felt the monster place a foot on his stomach and grab his ankles. With a quick pull, arteries and bones alike were ripped from Anderson's lower legs, leaving only bloody stumps from the knees down. Pools of the crimson liquid seeped from his body, soaking his clothes and staining the ground. The massive blood loss was causing the priest's regeneration to slacken.

Alucard threw the limbs aside and licked the blood off his gloves. He was greatly enjoying the pain he was causing Anderson. Reaching into the disabled priest's coat, he pulled out several more blades. In a few swift motions, the vampire stabbed them into the Vatican's chest and what remained of his legs, impaling him to the ground. A fitting punishment for the regenerator, being subjected to the same pain he had caused Seras. Only Alucard had given him tenfold the agony of what she had experienced.

Reaching for the deepest embedded sword, he slowly pulled the weapon from the priest's body. As the tip of the blade moved through the Vatican's stomach, Alucard violently twisted

Anderson's toy. He was amused to hear the sound of his victim's internal organs as they were ripped apart, creating squelching sounds as each collided with another in a mix of blood vessels and intestines. Blood seeped from the ever growing hole in the priest's gut, as the blade's movements quickened. Each turn caused a jolt of pain to shoot through what was left of Anderson's body, causing the priest to scream in agony.

Having had his fun, Alucard removed the remaining portion of the sword from the Vatican's body. Grinning maniacally, he lifted the blade to his lips and slowly licked the blood off the weapon. The horror spreading across the priest's face only furthered to amuse the vampire.

Now, standing before the screaming priest's mutilated body, Alucard felt he had avenged Seras. But he could not allow Anderson to live. He knew too much.

Besides, the irony of killing the Vatican dog with his own blade was too good to pass up.

With little effort, he lifted the blade and brought it down upon Anderson's neck, slicing his head off in one clean swipe. The priest's last scream hung in the air, as if his soul still believed him to be alive. The body twitched once before laying still. All regeneration stopped and Alucard watched with disgust as the remains slowly turned to dust.

Nothing more than a pale imitation of a true vampire. There would be no more of those experiments, now that the organization and its test subject were destroyed.

Alucard turned and slowly walked back into the castle, the moon slowly setting overhead.


	12. New Life

A/N: There's an author's note at the end, so you can read it if you're interested. Thanks everyone for your support with my story!!!!

_A new life awaits those few_

_Who have the will to take it._

Seras lay in her bed, still tired from her change. It had taken nearly two hours for Alucard's blood to circulate through her, reviving her body and giving her a new existence. The blood replacement really hadn't taken too long, considering her heart was no longer able to pump anything.

She felt hungry, and Seras had a bad feeling what for. When she had awoken, Alucard had been staring intently at her from the end of the bed. She had wondered if he'd been there the entire time. When he had noticed she was awake, he'd made sure she was comfortable and then promptly vanished into the night. She had a feeling he was going to go after the priest. Too tired to think anymore, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

Seras awoke sometime later. She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, but it didn't feel like very long. She could feel the hunger rise in her stomach once again, but this time the pain was more pronounced. The sensation felt as if something was trying to claw its way out of her. Lifting herself to an upright position, she looked around for any signs of Alucard.

He was no where to be seen. Seras threw the sheets off her self and slid her feet over the side of the bed. Attempting to stand, she found that her legs refused to cooperate. They felt weak and trembled at the slightest hint of weight. Suddenly, she had the feeling of being watched and turned her eyes to the darkest corner of the room.

Alucard stood there, watching as she sensed his presence. The mind link with his new fledgling had allowed him to read all her thoughts without effort, so he knew she was hungry. He would have to remedy the situation before her instincts over took her better judgement.

As he walked toward her, Seras could smell the bottle of blood in his hand before it came into view. She felt her new fangs grow longer at the thought of the liquid. Alucard sensed the hunger in her increase as he approached and grinned. She was going to have to learn to control herself, or the village near the castle would be depopulated in a matter of weeks.

Sitting next to her on the edge of the bed, he uncorked the blood bottle and poured some into a goblet he held. Seras watched him carefully, trying to control her cravings. She really didn't like the idea of drinking blood but her body was practically screaming for it. Her eyes became dilated as Alucard held the cup out to her. Losing what self-control she had left, Seras grabbed the goblet and downed the blood in less than three seconds.

Ashamed of her actions, Seras quickly handed the goblet back to Alucard. She was now full and in control of herself once more. She felt strength return to her limbs, so she carefully rose to her feet. Other than the fangs and hunger she had felt, there appeared to be no difference in her, physically or mentally.

Alucard had watched with amusement as she drank, the bloodlust consuming her for a time. He remembered doing the same thing with his first taste of blood.

But now was not the time for reminiscing. They needed to get to the dungeons quickly. The sun would rise soon and his new fledgling would surely be turned to dust if touched by its rays.

"Seras, come with me," he said, rising from the bed. He walked through the open door and out into the hall, Seras following closely behind. She didn't know where they were going, but was too preoccupied with her thoughts to care much.

_Did I just down a goblet full of blood? My god, it tasted so good! But what if I get those cravings around humans? Will I kill them? _Seras shuddered at that last thought. She didn't want to kill anyone just for her survival. _"But you must feed, Police Girl. Vampires drink blood to survive."_

Seras jumped when she heard Alucard's voice in her head. The figure in front of her chuckled, but continued to walk. _"For a vampire master and their fledgling, there is a mind link that allows them to communicate. The master is also able to locate their child_ _using this link."_

_Mind link? Master? _Seras didn't know what to make of this new situation. She thought it intrusive when he had looked into her thoughts before, but now this? Shaking off her uneasiness, she finally took in her surroundings and noticed they were heading down a long flight of stairs. The air around them smelt moldy and cooler as they descended lower into the castle.

"Where are we going Master?" Seras wasn't quite sure about saying 'master,' but the title somehow sounded right.

"To the lower depths of the castle" Alucard replied, speaking out loud so as not to startle Seras again. Though he had been most amused by her reaction. "We must hide from the daylight or be destroyed."

"Oh. Um, what exactly will we be sleeping in?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"A coffin, of course. The dark confines will be more comfortable than you think. And since I have no spare coffins lying around, you must share mine." He grinned when he heard the barely audible squeak behind him.

_I have to sleep in a **coffin** with **him**!? _Seras thought with terror. The idea of being in such close confines with anyone was bad enough, but with him?!

"Relax, Police Girl. My coffin is not as small as you would suppose."

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he turned a sharp right and proceeded down a long hall, Seras a few steps behind. Walking down the corridor, she stumbled a few times over the uneven ground, especially since there was very little visibility down here. Only a few torches along the corridor reflected light off the damp walls, showing a dirt floor and several long slots along both walls.

Stopping momentarily, Seras inspected the large niches in the wall. A grinning skull smiled back at her, making her jump back a few feet. _My god, we're in catacombs! _she thought with a shudder. She ran quickly to catch up to Alucard, not wanting to be in such a place by herself.

Alucard was now at the end of the hall, standing in front of a large oak door. He watched her run toward him, amused and somewhat saddened by the thoughts that had come from his new apprentice. _She'll see worse horrors than a skull over the long years of her immortal life._

As Seras ran up to the door, she noticed something odd. There were strange designs drawn upon the door and wall, apparently by using someone's blood. She didn't recognize any of the words or symbols, but thought they might create some sort of spell.

Alucard pushed the door open and stepped through. Quickly following behind, Seras curiously looked around the room.

The room was not as large as her former bedroom, and was also less luxurious. More lit torches placed around the room showed Seras bare, but dry, stone walls and a floor which appeared to be made of smooth cobblestones. There was a small table with two chairs off to one side. But what really caught her attention was the remaining piece of furniture.

Standing alone in the center of the room was a large stone coffin. The lid appeared to be made of black marble, and the sides were of beautiful white marble. There was also an inscription chiseled into the foot of the coffin, which read **Vlad Drakulya**. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it. Oh well, maybe she would remember later. More importantly, she noticed that the sarcophagus was quite capable of holding two people comfortably.

With a sigh of relief, Seras approached her new bed. She was suddenly feeling very sleepy. Alucard sensed her drowsiness and knew the coming of dawn was approaching. Fledglings were more susceptible to the effects of day than older vampires.

Alucard walked up to the coffin and easily lifted the marble lid off. He placed the lid to the side and gestured for Seras to climb in. She looked into the coffin and noticed that the bottom and sides were lined with soft silk padding. _This may not be so bad after all. _She climbed in and lay down on one side, watching while Alucard smoothly slid in beside her. He lifted the lid and brought it down upon them, securing it tightly.

"Comfortable?" she heard him ask. "Yes" Seras mumbled, before her eyes closed and she succumbed to her drowsiness. Alucard watched her for a while, his eyes easily seeing through the total darkness of the coffin. Suddenly, he noticed something. Her body was starting to shake. Of course, she was cold. It was to be expected that her body had not yet become accustomed to its new temperature.

Alucard shifted his body so that he now lay on his side. Reaching over, he wrapped his long arms around her waist and behind her back, pulling her close to his chest. Seras nuzzled up against him, sensing his warm body. Feeling her body stop shivering, Alucard joined her in sleep.

Master and child slept, unaware of anything until the night would come to awaken them. Both blissfully happy in the company of each other.

A/N: Okay, decision time!!! This is the last chapter I've written. If you guys want me to keep going, then I will. But if you say no, or don't answer, then I'll stop right here. If I did keep going, it would give me a chance to delve deeper into the SerasxAlucard romance. I could also answer a lot of questions, like where did Alucard get his gun, why did Seras return to Romania, what's the story behind Alucard and Iscariot, what's the mystery behind the bloodstained door, why is Alucard's coffin large enough to hold two people, where **_is_** Hellsing in all of this, how will Seras adapt to her new life, will the village be drained dry (lol)? So please review and tell me!!!!!!!!

Oh, and if anyone reading this hates my try at poetry, I'll make amends. I'll take them down, rip 'em to pieces, burn 'em and shred 'em. Yep, in that order too.


	13. Trust

A/N: Roughly forty-five to one in favor of continuing, so here's the next chapter. You're all in luck too, or if you don't like my story, in hell, because the chapters are going to be longer. Thanks again to all my readers and reviewers!

_Trust is earned, _

_Never given freely._

The next night, Seras was awakened rather suddenly from her sleep. There was only darkness around her and for a moment she forgot where she was. Struggling to sit up, she realized there was something holding her down. Her eyes having adjusted to the complete darkness without her knowing, she was able to see what was holding her.

Staring down at her waist, she found a pair of arms wrapped firmly around herself. Looking up from her position, Seras stared straight into the red eyes of Alucard. An expression of amusement was written on his face, showing he had been watching her attempts to free herself from his grasp.

The memories of the previous day came flooding into Seras' mind. The meeting with the priest, the blade sinking into her stomach, her drinking Alucard's blood, and finally, her resurrection as an undead. All passed by in an instant, leaving her with the weight of what she'd done.

"You're finally awake, Police Girl. I thought you were going to sleep through the sunset."

"What? What do you mean 'sleep through the sunset'?" Seras had been so deep in her thoughts that she'd only partially listened to what Alucard had said. Her mind was still having difficulty grasping her new existence. After all, everything had happened so quickly the night before that she hadn't had time to ponder her decision.

"I mean exactly what I say, Police Girl. If you had been paying attention instead of letting your mind wander, you would understand."

His arms dislodged themselves from Seras' waist and she could sense he was angry with her. She could think of her decision later, when she had a moment alone.

"_You're never alone." _Seras jumped at the sound of Alucard's voice in her mind, her head nearly hitting the lid of the coffin. She'd forgotten about the mind link with her new 'master'.

With a chuckle, Alucard lifted the lid of the coffin off and climbed out. Holding the lid while Seras rose, he replaced the marble slab somewhat loosely. After all, sunlight could not penetrate the catacombs, nor did rats and insects dare enter the tomb. Dust also seemed to avoid the sleeping place of vampires, almost as if nature itself was terrified of their existence. The only significance for the lid was to keep hunters at bay until they awakened.

Looking at the marble coffin, Seras wondered for the first time why the sarcophagus was large enough to fit two people. She'd have to ask Alucard about it later.

"So, um...what did you mean before, about the sunset?"

"Vampires often awaken at the moment the sun sets. Those who sleep in late have a rather harsh awakening, caused by their hunger."

What he said would explain her sudden jolt from sleep, and the craving in her stomach. She would have to feed but the thought of taking the blood from another person was revolting, nearly enough to quench the thirst within her. Nearly enough, but not quite.

"Come, Police Girl. We'll begin your training tonight."

"Training?" A look of fear spread across Seras' face.

"No, not hunting" he said, knowing her thoughts. "My 'winery' is full, so we will not have to find victims for awhile."

The idea of his winery being filled with blood bottles was not a comforting thought for Seras. Someone had to have given their blood to fill those glasses, and she doubted the procedure had been done willingly. More like the blood was drained violently from their bodies while Alucard watched without mercy. Yes, that idea sounded right.

"Relax, Police Girl. I've been filling my cellar since my turning, so not as many people as you think have died." Alucard didn't like the turn her thoughts had taken. They were too dark, so unlike the feelings he had received from her earlier.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have judged you without asking first." Seras didn't know what had come over her, maybe it was the incessant hunger she was feeling. She had never felt so irritated in her life, but every second that went by the feeling increased.

Alucard, reading her thoughts, realized the depth of her hunger. She was newborn to darkness, so the need for blood had a tendency to override all other emotions. In time she would become used to the feeling and be able to control her hunger. But for now her mood would change dramatically every time her body needed the sustenance.

"You're letting your hunger overtake your emotions. All fledglings go through this stage in their change, but you are one of my blood. Control yourself." He said the last statement rather harshly, emphasizing that he would not tolerate her mood swings for long.

"Yes, Master." Her master's tone had managed to curb some of the hunger. The rest she could deal with without much difficulty.

Alucard approached the closed door of the tomb and literally walked through it, causing Seras to gasp. She hadn't yet seen him walk through solid objects and had expected him to smash against the wood. Opening the large oak door herself, she found him on the other side, impatiently waiting for her.

"How . . . how did you do that?" she asked.

"With time your body will learn many techniques. For now, we'll test your resistance to stronger minds. When you're able to fend off my mind control, then we'll move on to other skills."

"My body is still changing?" Seras thought her transformation as a vampire had been finished after she'd died. Apparently Alucard was holding back information.

"Of course. Some changes take centuries to arise, while others will come quickly."

Seras barely caught the tail end of his sentence, because he had rounded the corner and began climbing the steps. "What kind of changes?" she asked as she kept up with his long strides. Her life was getting more complicated by the minute.

"I think we'll train on the private balcony tonight" he said, ignoring her question.

"What if I refuse?" Here she stopped walking. His unwillingness to give her information was making her angry, and she would not go any further until he answered her question.

Alucard halted and turned slowly. The look in his eyes made Seras' blood freeze. There was no anger, just a knowledge of how in control of the circumstances he was. He was older, stronger and wiser than she, and Seras had no chance against him.

"Police Girl, you have no choice but to obey. The blood in your veins is not yours, but mine. It will listen to my every command."

Alucard turned away from her and began to walk down the hall, putting an end to their conversation. Seras followed grudgingly, not liking where her new life was taking her.

They made their way from the top of the stairs, which Seras noticed were situated on the hallway she had escaped to when she'd first entered the castle, to the main entrance hall. Climbing the grand staircase, she marveled at the large window at the top. The view showed an inner courtyard, surrounded on three sides by the castle. The fourth side was a large stone entranceway with two large wooden gates placed in the center. Judging by the lack of ornamental masonry, the yard had been used in preparation for battles.

Turning her attention back to the staircase, she noticed two halls, one leading off to her left and the other to her right. Alucard turned to the right and began walking down the long corridor. The second floor almost seemed to stretch on forever, though Seras could just see where the end of the hall turned to the left. Doors were placed on each side, evenly spaced and exquisitely carved. Obviously the rooms were made to accommodate noble guests.

As they neared the extremity of the hall, Seras noted a large stained-glass window situated in the corner alcove. The picture showed a beautiful woman wearing a fifteenth century dress. Looking into the face, she noticed with a start that the woman looked almost exactly like her. The only differences were the woman's dark brown tints of her hair instead of the fledglings own red, and portrait's eyes were a strange green. Those eyes bothered Seras, they seemed to watch her every move.

Thankfully, Alucard turned off to the left and they began to climb another staircase. This also led to another long hall, though there were some differences. Where there had been many doors along the other corridors, the third floor had very few, only half the number of the others. When Seras looked out the windows to her right, she was shown a large balcony. The platform spanned the entire length of the floor and looked out upon the side of the castle.

Coming to a stop in the middle of the corridor, Alucard opened the glass doors which led out to the balcony. Seras joined him in the cool night air and closed the doors behind herself. Turning, she gasped at the view before her. The snow capped mountains in the distance glistened in the rising moon, reflecting the clear night sky above. Approaching the stone railing surrounding the balcony, she could see the forests spread out beneath her like a green carpet. Ending at the base of the hills, the trees gave way to rocky bluffs and deep canyons etched into the mountains.

Sneaking a quick look at Alucard, Seras observed with relief the return of his old grin. Maybe he had forgiven her outbursts and was in better spirits. Gathering her courage, she decided to ask him a question. She actually wanted to resume their last conversation, but didn't want to ruin the unspoken truce between them.

"Are there other techniques a master vampire and fledgling share?" Seras was more than a little nervous with how he would answer. She had come to terms with the mind link, but the idea of being forced to do his every bidding was still bothering her. She had learned to take orders in the police academy, but blind commands she had never followed through with. There was always doubt in her mind, the questioning of whether she should follow such instructions so obediently.

"Master vampires are able to do much with their fledglings."

Suddenly, Seras felt herself walk toward the edge of the balcony. Her feet were moving on their own! As much as she tried to gain control over herself, there was no sign of her slowing as she climbed on top of the thick stone railing. She was going to fall!

With a single ear piercing shriek, she walked off the balcony and began to plummet the seventy feet to the ground. Then, she felt a pair of hands grip around her waist and her fall was abruptly stopped. Breathing heavily, she looked into the smiling face of her Master.

"Wha . . . what was tha . . . that? Seras stammered out, as she struggled to curb the breathing she no longer needed.

Then she remembered they were floating in midair, somewhere between the first and second stories. If her heart had been beating, she would have definitely felt it stop. On instinct, Seras clutched Alucard's coat. She was terrified of falling from his grasp since there was still enough of a drop to seriously injure her.

"I am also able to control your movements, Police Girl." He was enjoying her fear, especially when she clung to him. This was going to be a fun night.

"What?" Seras yelled, getting very irritated with his lack of sharing information. Especially when they pertained to her own body.

He began to ascend toward the balcony, holding Seras' waist loosely so she would grip his coat tighter. Releasing her when they had reached the temporary 'training ground', he watched with amusement as she tried to regain her balance.

"Did I forget to mention that? It must have slipped my mind" he said, giving Seras one of his trademark grins. Obviously his humor had returned and he had been teasing her. Hopefully he'd only been teasing.

"Master, is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" She was having a difficult time keeping her anger in check, but was able to stop herself from trembling with rage.

"Oh, I think not. At least, not at the moment. I may remember something later. Now let's try it again."


	14. Choices

A/N: Damn this chapter for mocking my words! Hope everyone's liking these new additions, even if this one is short. And in answer to Ice Appeal's curiosity, all the comments I made in chapter twelve will be dealt with. Thanks to my readers and reviewers!

_The choices one makes_

_Leads to outcomes one has earned._

After several more falls, Seras had been able to ward off his mind control. The moon had crossed the sky, so Alucard had decided to finish the training for the night. Besides, Seras' hunger was returning tenfold and Alucard was getting a little thirsty himself.

As they retraced their steps down the floors, Seras started to become nervous. She had only drank blood once before, and only because the hunger had overridden her inhibitions of blood. But now she was in control of herself and would knowingly be drinking the liquid.

Walking down the hall leading toward the kitchen, she began to tremble from the ever increasing anxiety she felt. Thankfully, she was behind Alucard so he couldn't see her shake.

They entered the kitchen and Alucard motioned for Seras to sit at the table while he went into a small room off to the side. A few moments later he came back carrying a bottle and two champagne glasses. Apparently the side room led to the cellar and was also where he kept the fine china.

Setting the glasses on the table, he easily popped open the cork of the bottle and began to pour the blood into the containers.

Seras watched with undisguised eagerness as the glasses began to fill. The feeling of hunger was practically radiating from her. When Alucard had filled the glasses full, he handed her one and took the other in his hand.

"Drink, Police Girl. The blood is a nineteen sixty-three vintage, a good year. The blood in Romania was uncommonly sweet during the Cold War, probably caused by all the tension and fear." Chuckling, he took a sip and watched Seras out of the corner of his eyes.

With her hands visibly trembling, she slowly lifted the glass to her lips. Her body was screaming for her to drink, but something was holding her back. A voice in the back of her mind, like some pitiful child caught in the grips of a nightmare and yelling for the horrible visions to stop. However, the child wasn't yelling for visions to stop, but for Seras not to drink the blood. Some last bit of humanity was trying to save itself from being extinguished by her new vampiric cravings.

Her self-control silently impressed him, but she would have to give in eventually. Vampires could not die from lack of blood, but they would become incredibly weak. The condition would progress until they were unable to move, much less defend themselves from attack. He refused to see one of his own digress into such a pitiful state.

"I can't do it." Battling the hunger, she gently put the glass down on the table. Rising and turning around, she began to walk out of the kitchen. But before she reached the doorway, a hand fell on her shoulder.

"You will drink even if I must force the blood down your throat" Alucard's voice whispered in her ear. There was determination in his voice, making Seras cower in his grip.

She was so weak compared to him, how could she fend him off? But wait, she had strength now, not equal to his but maybe enough to escape for a short while. Only, he would catch her no matter where she went and eventually he would make her drink. A rush of anger filled her at the thought of unwillingly losing what little bit of humanity she had left. _No! I won't let him! Not now, or ever!_

With a violent twist, she wrenched out of his grasp and turned to face him. Her eyes had become a dark red, almost black, and her mouth was curled up into a snarl.

Before Alucard could react, she shoved him away from her. He flew over the table and hit the wall with enough force to crush a few ribs and leave a very large dent in the masonry.

Seras could only stand there and gape at her own actions, as her Master began to rise. Terror was also holding her in place, the belief that Alucard was going to kill her, or worse, making her feet feel cemented to the floor. But he began to chuckle. Soon his maniacal laughter was filling the room as she slowly regained control over herself.

"Stop laughing!" Her anger was practically bursting from her, caused by the hunger and his unconcern for her feelings.

"What strength! What power!" he said between fits of laughter. "You'll make a fine No-Life King someday, Police Girl."

"I don't want to be a No-Life anything! I just want to live my old life!" she practically yelled, turning her back to him.

"The choice was yours, Police Girl" he said quietly. Standing, he slowly began to approach her unnoticed. His cat-like walk made no noise on the stone floor.

"I know, but I didn't have enough time to think! I...I just didn't know the guilt would hurt this much." She was again about to leave when a pair of arms encircled her waist, drawing her close to a warm body. Alucard had pulled her into a hug.

"Only those vampires who have forgotten their humanity do not go through the guilt. Be thankful you have some soul left, and enjoy the feeling while you can. Everything fades in an immortal life except the hunger." He slowly released his hold on her, and disappeared into a wall of darkness, leaving Seras alone to ponder his words.

"_And drink the blood, Police Girl. That's an order."_

"Yes, Master" Seras answered, sighing as she lifted the glass. She would try once again to drink the liquid, if only for her Master's sake.


	15. Past

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I was unable to Log into Fanfiction. To Angela Himura, I have seen Interview With A Vampire and I thought the movie was great. Thanks as always to my readers and reviewers!

_Reminders of the past_

_Can destroy the future._

After Seras had done some serious thinking and had attempted to drink the blood a half dozen times, she had come to a conclusion. She could drink from the blood bottles to survive, since she couldn't waste the, albeit unwilling, sacrifice people had made to fill them. But drinking from the living, well, she would deal with that problem when the time came.

Having made her decision, she went in search of Alucard to tell him her choice. By the time Seras found him on the second floor, the night had waned and the time for sleep was drawing near. Walking down the hall, she noticed something strange. When she approached Alucard, he didn't acknowledge her presence, or even appear to notice she was there.

He seemed to be staring at something very intently. Looking past him, Seras was startled to see he was examining the portrait of the woman. The green eyes watched her as before, though now she could examine the expression. The depths of the orbs showed pity, mixed with regret. She had never seen a picture hold such an arrangement of emotion and wondered why the artist had created the depressing portrait. Her mind's eye could very well imagine the woman smiling, rather than the somber appearance she now wore. But her own thoughts aside, why was Alucard so interested in her? Yet another question to ask her master.

After standing behind him for several minutes, Seras finally grew tired of waiting. She reached up to tap him on the shoulder.

"You can't startle me, Police Girl, especially with the noise you make. Come, the sun will be rising soon." Turning around to face her, she was startled to see a look resembling sadness cross his face. But the emotion disappeared so quickly she could have been mistaken.

On the trek to the catacombs Seras suddenly remembered about her belongings. She had left them in a large trunk at her hotel in the village. With all her clothing lost, she would be forced to wear what she had on for an indefinite period of time. She would have to ask Alucard if she could retrieve them soon, because the idea of walking around in rags was not what she considered an option.

At sunset the next night, Seras once again awoke in the arms of her master. Cheeks burning a bright red, she slowly slid away from him. With a sigh of relief, she felt his arms give way but froze when she realized he was awake.

Alucard had once more been forced to use his body heat to stop her from shaking. Obviously her lack of warm, fresh blood caused her body temperature to stay below what a vampire could handle. Unfortunately, by reading her thoughts last night, he found she was still unwillingly to drink from a living human. Well, he could enjoy her refusal while it lasted.

When they reached the stairs leading to the ground level floors, Alucard disappeared, saying he had an errand to attend to, so Seras was left to her own devices. Deciding to explore the inside of the castle, she began her expedition in the entrance hall

Staring at the bottom of the grand staircase, she was reminded of the first time she'd entered the castle. She'd nearly collided with one of the bannisters and then had run down the hall to the left. The memories felt like they had taken place years ago, but in reality the time had been less than two weeks. Shaking herself free from her reminiscing, she turned her attention to the corridor to her right. The hall seemed as good a place as any to start, so she began to walk down the long corridor.

This hall was different from the one which lead to the catacombs. There was only a pair of doors situated in the middle of the corridor. Seras headed toward the two doors, wondering what lay behind them.

Standing before them, she placed her hands upon both doors and slowly pushed them open. The sight that lay before her was astounding. The room was a library, stretching from one end of the hall to the other. What really shocked Seras was the vast amount of books lining the walls. From floor to ceiling, books encompassed everything. The bookcases appeared to sag under the enormous weights they held. A winding stair to her right led to a second story balcony, where larger volumes appeared to be stored. In the center sat a large desk, also burdened with dozens of books. Behind the desk was a large window which looked out onto the inner courtyard.

Seras did notice one unfortunate flaw in her surroundings. Every inch of the room was covered in several layers of dust, giving a ghostly appearance with the moon shining through the window. Walking over to one of the large bookcases, she inspected the books. From what she could see, they all appeared to be quite old, most possibly dating back several centuries. Removing a book from the shelf, she was rewarded with a face full of dust. More dirt came spilling onto her as she attempted to place the book back, causing a coughing fit which lasted several minutes. Not wanting to repeat the experience, Seras decided to inspect the desk.

Proceeding to the center of the room, Seras noticed something strange about the arrangements of books. There were two piles on the desk, one on each side, while a solitary volume lay between them. Peering at the cover, she found she could not read any of the words, being in a language foreign to her. Since she could not read the book, she flipped absently through the pages. Suddenly she came to a halt in the center of the book. Once again she found herself staring at the woman from the window, the same woman whose portrait Alucard had been so interested in, though there was a difference in the picture before her. The woman was now smiling, and the expression better suited her face than the look she held in the portrait.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Startled, Seras turned around to explain her actions, only to stop dead in her movements. She had never seen Alucard so infuriated as he was now. His eyes were burning coals in the semi-darkness and she sensed an immense rage building within him.

"I-I'm sorry. I...I didn't know I wasn't supposed to come in here."

Striding across the library, he reached the desk and slammed the book shut.

"She looks like me. Is she the reason why you were so interested in me when I came to the castle? Do I remind you of her?" The questions seemed to explode from her mouth, her curiosity for the strange woman overcoming her common sense.

"I'll admit you do resemble her, Police Girl, but you are nothing like she was." An undertone of anger coated every word, as if Seras had insulted the memory of the woman. Had she been someone important to him?

Remembering her earlier interest in the large sarcophagus, a thought struck her. "Master, is she the reason why the coffin made for two people" Seras asked cautiously, for fear of angering Alucard further.

At first he did not answer, appearing to think whether he should tell her or ignore the question. Alucard fixed his gaze on the young woman before him, searching her eyes for her intentions. He wanted to know why she was so interested in knowing his past, whether idle curiosity or genuine concern fueled her questions. What he found surprised him, for by learning his past Seras hoped to understand him. Understanding, a human emotion he would have to teach her to forget, but for now he would humor her.

"She was my wife, in the human sense. I had the sarcophagus made specifically for us" he answered quietly. Memories of her final moments began to haunt his mind, bringing unwanted emotions with them.

"How did she die?" The question popped out of Seras' mouth before she had time to think of what she was asking. But she wanted Alucard to trust her, since she was going to be spending so much time with him.

"She was killed, murdered by a vampire hunter." He clearly remembered his anguish as he heard her scream echo along the streets.

"She was a vampire!"

"Yes, though not of my blood. We'd met at a masked ball in Paris decades earlier. She was the perfect vampire, ruthless and cunning, characteristics I admired. But those times are past, and I have her portrait to remind myself of that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry into your past." She'd noticed the sadness creep into his face.

"There's nothing to forgive" he answered, putting on an impassive face. "The past is the past. But remember Seras, bringing up old memories will only drive a vampire to insanity. The feelings clinging to those echoes will cause enough pain to make a No-Life King destroy himself."

Seras' head shot up at the use of her name. Alucard had rarely spoken her name and then only during the few serious moments of his he showed her. He didn't seem to notice her starring at him, he only started walking toward the door.

"The night is too far gone to train. I suggest we get some sleep, Police Girl."

Well, she could enjoy the brief moment when he did acknowledge her name. So thinking, she followed him quietly to the catacombs. But a surprise awaited her when she reached their 'bedroom'.

Entering the tomb, Seras saw an object out of the corner of her eye. Looking to the left corner, she saw her trunk leaning against the wall. She rushed over to the luggage and unclasped the locks, opening the case's lid. There was everything; her clothes, her shoes, and even her hairbrush. She turned to look at Alucard.

"You read my mind again." She would have been angry, but was too overjoyed at retrieving her possessions to care.

"Yes, Police Girl. You may be able to fend off my mind control, but your thoughts are practically echoing throughout the entire castle."

'I'll have to work on that."

Outside the Castle 

Standing among the trees surrounding the castle, two piercing red eyes stared at the complex.

"I've finally found the bloody place. Time to prove my worth."


	16. Lost

A/N:Another chapter added to my growing collection, and no end in sight with the story. Thanks to my readers and reviewers!

_The lure of immortality_

_Leads souls astray._

Alucard and Seras were resting in the meadow near the castle. Seras was laying down in the flowers, enjoying the sight while Alucard stood to her side. Having fed already, they were free to enjoy the slowly rising half moon peaking over the mountains.

The reason for them being there was for more training, though Alucard hadn't yet told Seras what she would have to do. She had a feeling the task would not be simple nor pleasant.

Suddenly there was a noise behind them. Turning quickly, Seras saw someone approach their position from the woods. Her eyes adjusted slowly, since she had not yet mastered the ability to see in the dark. When she could penetrate the shadows, what she saw made her gasp in surprise.

A boy stood there, looking barely more than fifteen. From his shoes to his shirt, his clothes were of a dark material. His skin was pale, contrasting sharply with his bright red hair. The boy's eyes lay in shadows, covered by a baseball cap. Though his clothes blended in with the color of the night, he would look sorely out of place in a village setting. Obviously he was a traveler who had wandered to the castle, unknowing of the dangers. The stranger began to walk toward them leisurely, apparently not the least afraid of either vampire.

"Aye good evenin' to ya folks. Sorry to interrupt your moon gazin', but Ah've come on some business."

Something about the person caught Seras' attention immediately. The boy had a very distinct British accent, like those found on the streets of London. Why had someone like he traveled to Romania? She was interrupted from her thoughts by Alucard's words.

"Took you long enough to show yourself, boy. I thought I would be forced to drag you from the bushes." The boy looked taken aback, losing some of the self confidence he had before. Alucard now turned to Seras, totally ignoring the stranger's sputtering of indignation. "Police Girl, your training for tonight will be to destroy this weakling."

Seras looked at Alucard in shock. Was he asking her to kill someone? She couldn't kill him, he'd done nothing to her. Besides, the stranger was just a boy, what challenge could he give her to warrant proper training?

The boy only scoffed at Alucard's order. "Give me a break, gov̀nor. Ah can whip that little girl quick enough. The real prize Ah'm afta is you."

The little whelp, what damage could he do to her? Seras decided, whether for training or not, she was going to show this boy what she could do.

Walking up to him quickly, she grabbed his arms and twisted them back. Using her feet to kick his legs out from under him, she pinned the boy to the ground with her body, all the while holding his wrists tightly.

"What's wrong, little boy? Can't you handle me?" She was enjoying herself, causing someone else pain. The feeling of power was almost intoxicating, until she realized what she was doing. The grip with which she held the stranger's wrists was almost enough to break them, but he had not yelled or made any noise at all.

In fact, the boy beneath her merely began to laugh, making Seras wonder if she'd done more damage mentally than physically. Her concern soon turned to as shock as she felt him pull out of her grasp. With one tremendous push, Seras was thrown from his back. Landing hard a few yards away, she rose to her feet only to be knocked to the ground.

The tides had turned and now the boy sat on her stomach, staring at her in amusement. Sometime during the scuffle, his cap had fallen from his head, revealing his eyes. They were a deep red, closely resembling Alucard and hers, though there were specks of brown

She understood now how he'd been able to break her grip, and why Alucard had chosen the boy as her next stage of training. The boy was a vampire, and one who knew how to control his powers.

"Well, aren't we the feisty one?" His hands held her wrists while he lowered his face to hers. "You're kinda cute when you're angry, did you know that?"

When his face nearly met hers, she suddenly raised her head. Meeting bone with a deafening crack, the boy howled in pain but did not loosen his grip on her. "Why you bloody bitch! If that's the way ya want it, then we'll play that game."

Pulling Seras' hands together over her head, the boy wrapped one hand over both wrists, allowing free use of the other. The young vampire reached into one of his pants pocket and pulled out a small knife. Exposing the retractable blade, Seras could clearly see the type of metal the blade was made from. Silver.

Placing the blade over her heart, he prepared to plunge the weapon into her. She struggled frantically under the boy's grasp, knowing the knife would destroy her if she did not free herself.

"Bye, love. Say hello to Beelzebub for me."

Just as the knife penetrated her skin, something inside Seras awakened. Easily breaking free of the boy's grasp, she grabbed the hilt of the blade before the knife could plunge any deeper.

"What...what the bloody hell!" the boy yelled, as Seras began withdrawing the blade from her chest. He placed his other hand on the hilt to try to stop her, but his efforts did not slow down the progress of the blade.

Tearing the tip out of her chest, Seras plunged the knife into one of the boy's eyes. Blood spurted everywhere and a scream of fury escaped the young vampire's lips as he stood to his feet and staggered backwards.

Now released of her burden, she rose and watched as her victim clutched his impaled eye, trying uselessly to stop the bleeding. Seras was trying hopelessly to control the surge of emotions within her. One in particular was growing with each passing moment; anger. The feeling was the same fury she had shown Alucard a few days earlier, only now she was fueled by more than anger. Her body was reacting to the need to survive. The boy was a threat to her existence and her vampiric side would not allow herself to be destroyed.

Fear crept into the boy's mind as he watched through his one good eye as Seras began to transform before him. Her eyes changed color and her fangs grew in length. He was beginning to think maybe he had tarried too long in destroying the girl.

Seras' darkened eyes turned toward the young vampire, a smile slowing growing on her lips. She began to approach the boy, her smile becoming ever more maniacal. Her human side was losing the battle for control over her mind.

The stranger took several steps backward but then stood his ground, remembering how he'd bested her earlier. He shouldn't be afraid, the girl had merely changed her appearance to scare him. Besides, the wound in his eye was already beginning to heal. If his body could so easily repair such a damaging wound then he was unstoppable. With those beliefs to support him, he prepared himself to strike before she reached him.

However, more than Seras' physical appearance had changed. Seeing the boy crouch down in preparation of an attack, she began to run toward him with speed she didn't know she possessed. Before her mind had time to register what she was doing, she had appeared mere inches from him and grabbed the hilt of the still protruding knife. She quickly thrust the weapon deeper into his head, destroying the newly regenerated skin and causing the pain to flare up with renewed persistence. Laughing at the agony the boy was feeling, she then pulled the knife out of the wound.

Stepping back, Seras enjoyed watching the stranger scream in agony. Unable to see anything through the blood now blinding both eyes, the boy started to swing wildly, attempting to come into contact with Seras. She easily dodged the blows, knocking him back with several of her own swings. When the young vampire grew tired from his useless antics, Seras saw her chance to have some fun. Still holding the knife, she slipped behind the boy's back and wrapped her free hand around his neck. The hand gripping the weapon ran across his throat, cutting only deep enough to cause the most pain without killing the vampire.

A gargling sound came from the boy's throat as he tried to scream, blood bubbling from his mouth. Seras then ran the knife across both wrists, spilling blood over herself and ground. As she tightened her hold on the boy's neck, another blood muffled scream escaped the stranger's lips. Deciding she'd had enough fun, Seras spun the boy around so he was facing her. The bloodstained knife was lifted and plunged into the young vampire's heart, turning the body slowly to dust.

Now free of her survival instincts and bloodlust, Seras collapsed to the ground. She looked toward the remains of what was previously her opponent, struggling to comprehend how she had accomplished the destruction of the vampire. Suddenly she heard someone clapping behind her.

Alucard had watched the encounter passively, knowing Seras would win regardless of how strong the boy was. One of his blood could not be defeated so easily. The way in which she had disposed of the boy was also to his liking.

"Bravo, Police Girl. I see you have some skill with the blade."

"Thanks for the help, Master" Seras said sarcastically, standing shakily and turning to Alucard.

"You did not need my assistance. The boy was weak compared to the blood in your veins. But we may have to investigate the origin of the creature you destroyed."

"But why, Master? What was different about that vampire?" Seras then noticed the change in her Master's expression.

Alucard's face showed only a portion of the concern he felt. During the battle, he had time to observe the boy's features. The lack of one particular mark disturbed him. The pathetic vampire had not had any scars on his throat, indicating where his master had bitten him. There were only a few scars along his arms, as if something had drilled itself into his still living skin.

Also, the color of the stranger's eyes had bothered him. They had not been a pure color like all vampires had, but had been tainted with speckles.

Alucard walked over to what remained of the vampire and bent down. Brushing aside the ash, he turned the pockets of the clothes inside out and found what he was looking for.

"Besides, Master" Seras asked, more cautiously this time. The look in Alucard's eyes had startled her. "How will we find that information?"

"Simple, Police Girl" he said, holding up a small book. "We look through his passport."


	17. Answers

A/N: This chapter is more of a filler, but the length is the longest yet. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!

_In the search for answers,_

_More questions are found._

Alucard and Seras had thoroughly looked through the passport. Unfortunately the book yielded little, only showing them his name and where he'd traveled. Strangely, his flights had taken him in a straight line from London to Romania. There was no explanation of why he had come to Romania or where he'd gotten the means to travel the great distance between the two countries.

However, searching through his clothes, Seras did manage to find something of value. A single scrap of paper had been placed in one of his pockets, with one word written in old penmanship. Hellsing.

"Interesting, Police Girl" Alucard said as he took the paper from her hand and carefully examined the script. "I have heard the name, and I wonder how they are involved."

"What will we do now Master?" Seras was still confused as to why they were searching the stranger's remains. Alucard had yet to tell her what had been unusual about the boy vampire and what was troubling him.

Alucard gave Seras a sidelong glance. He seemed to be pondering an important decision. "I've hidden too long in my castle, Police Girl. I believe we'll take a trip to London. There the answers to my questions may be answered." Turning from her, he began to walk back toward the castle, muttering to himself. "The boy was a pathetic fake, worse than the priest."

_A pathetic fake? _Seras thought. What did Alucard mean by calling the stranger a fake? He had seemed real enough to her during her battle with him. Though Seras did wonder about the color of his eyes, she still did not know much about vampires so she dismissed her thoughts as ignorance on her part.

The next night Seras was checking her luggage to see she hadn't forgotten any of her possessions. She was still excited to hear she would be returning to England. Her face was all aglow with joy and her step was lighter.

The prospect of visiting England sooner than she expected had also produced a better effect on her mood. She even drank her evening blood offered to her by Alucard without any qualms.

Maybe Alucard would even forget about her training while they were there. After all, the last challenge had nearly killed her. She shuddered every time she thought of the cold blade being pressed into her chest.

"Your training will continue, Police Girl." The voice of her master behind her startled Seras. She hadn't heard him enter the tomb, nor had she sensed him enter the castle grounds. He had somehow managed to pass through her barriers undetected. Though she hated to admit her conclusions, she was in obvious need of practice with her vampiric skills.

"Yes, you still have far to go before you're worthy of the blood in your veins. You also need more training with your mind blocking skills." Though Alucard did enjoy reading her mind and answering her unspoken questions, if only to startle Seras.

Seras had jumped when he'd answered her thoughts, but had gone back to her packing. Suddenly she remembered Alucard telling her he would be gone on another errand.

"Where have you been?"

"Prying into your Master's business is not something fledglings should do, Police Girl. Punishment can come with such curiosity, and insolence. But if you must know, I have been making the accommodations for our journey. Because the nearby villagers are inhospitable toward our kind, we will be forced to travel to the next village. The villagers residing there are less familiar with vampires. There we'll be able to board the train and ride to Budapest. There we'll buy ourselves a coffin and be transported the rest of the way to London. The arrangements have all been made so you needn't worry."

"You must be joking." They were going to buy a coffin and be shipped like freight to England! Also, if they were to walk to the next village, would she be forced to leave her luggage behind?

"Yes Police Girl, you will be forced to leave your possessions here. As a vampire you must learn to travel light and let go of personal items. They will only weigh you down with memories and foolish human emotions."

"Yes sir." Seras was very disappointed, but she knew there would be no arguing with Alucard. Besides, the large trunk would be too heavy to carry the distance they were soon to travel.

Suddenly she remembered the other half of her thought. "Um, Master, what about the coffin? Don't you think someone will become suspicious when a pair of strangers comes into town wanting a coffin large enough for two?"

"As I have said before, I have no extra coffins lying around, so we must acquire one for our use." A mischievous grin appeared on Alucard's face as a sudden thought struck him. "Besides, the coffin will not be made for two. I plan on buying one suitable only for one person."

Seras' mouth dropped open as she heard those last words. She was well aware of the size of a normal coffin, and knew how cramped two people would be. She could well imagine how close the contact would be with their bodies.

Alucard spoke on as if he hadn't noticed her stunned reaction. "Also, I suggest you hide your eyes. Red is a very rare color, even among vampires, and our eyes may attract unwanted attention. A pair of shades similar to mine will do nicely." Here he pulled out a pair of dark sunglasses, the likes of which Seras had never seen. The frames not only held the lenses, but stretched along the sides as well, completely covering his eyes. The two halves of the glasses were held together by both a nose bridge and a small bar of metal situated above the bridge. Alucard placed them over his eyes and the reflection off the torches produced a color similar to blood.

"A small souvenir, one which I've found useful when dealing with humans. Now, we'll begin our journey tonight. Since you have an aversion to drinking from others, Police Girl, I suggest you feed well before we leave. Though you may be forced to take blood from others once we reach England."

Turning, Alucard walked through the walls, leaving Seras to stare at the spot where he had disappeared. She still wasn't accustomed to seeing him walk through solid objects.

Sighing, Sera stood and stretched her stiff limbs. She'd sat there longer than she thought. Heading toward the door, she glanced one last time at the trunk. Then she began walking to the kitchen, thinking of Alucard's last comment to her. He knew as well as she the strength of her hunger. After a few days of starvation, she may not be able to control herself. The only comfort she could give herself was there were several blood banks in London.

Drinking her fill of blood from the stock, Seras headed outside. Outside the castle walls was Alucard, apparently waiting for her. She approached him

"How far is the distance to the next village, Master? Will the walk take long?"

Alucard turned to Seras, his trademark grin on his face. "I never said we would be walking. Your next stage of training will be to transform into bats and travel the distance to the next village."

Seras' heart would have stopped then, had the organ still been beating.

"What? I can't fly! There's no way!"

"Police Girl, we've no time for arguments. I will teach you how and the rest will be up to you to learn." So saying, Alucard grabbed her arm and led her toward the meadow.

When they reached the clearing, Alucard stood in front of her. For a long while he did not speak, apparently deep in thought. Since she was his first child, he was forced to recall how his master had taught him.

Seras began to snicker, imagining the sight they made standing like statues in the middle of the field. However, her mirth was cut short by a disapproving look from Alucard. Fortunately, he had remembered his lessons before her outburst could distract him, and was now ready to start.

"If you're finished, we'll begin. Concentrate on my voice and nothing else. Imagine the feel of the wind beneath your wings, the feeling of floating endlessly in the sky."

Seras closed her eyes and tried to imagine what the feeling of flying would be like. She could feel something inside her shifting and the urge to open her eyes was great.

"Concentrate!" Alucard commanded. He was surprised at how fast she was changing, especially considering this was her first time. As he stood thinking, she completed her transformation.

Seras felt the shifting within her body and opened her eyes, screeching in terror at what she saw. Her vision like a kaleidoscope of grass, trees and sky. She was seeing through dozens of different eyes, which without control were all looking in all directions.

"Police Girl, focus your vision on one spot!"

The vibrations from Alucard's voice only led to more confusion. Her new bat instincts were telling her to fly away, but Seras had enough control to keep from fleeing. Unfortunately, she couldn't control the movements of the bats who made up her body, meaning she was spread across the entire meadow.

Alucard sighed. He would need to help her or they would be out here all night.

Seras was beginning to think she'd never pull herself together when she sensed several creatures flying between her stretched body. They were bats, slightly larger than hers and apparently trying to help her. The wings of the other bats were guiding hers to the center of the field, attempting to herd Seras into a group.

"_Police Girl, stop talking to yourself and concentrate! By rights I should leave you here to fend for yourself, but we don't have time for your foolishness."_

Seras would have jumped had she a body capable of such an action. The bats helping her were Alucard! Well, her master had given her an order, so she should at least try to help.

Using all of her concentration, Seras could feel her bats slowly congregate to the center of the clearing. When she was confident all her bats were now in the group, she carefully attempted to flex some of her wings. The bats obeyed her command immediately, slowly flapping their wings faster.

Alucard merely floated nearby, watching her explore her new form. When he was sure she had complete control, he started flying in the direction of the village. Seras followed close behind, careful not to lose sight of him or her control over her bats.

Glancing down, Seras saw only a few houses nestled around the countryside, probably farms. Coming upon the village where they were headed, she was reminded of an old English town. Several houses had stone walls supporting their roofs, while others were of a simple wooden build. A few new buildings were nestled amongst the old, leading Seras to the conclusion that the industry around the area was thriving. They landed on the outskirts of the village to remain unnoticed.

Fortunately, Seras did not have any trouble changing back to her original form.

After assuming his old form, Alucard looked up at the sky, noting the moon above the mountains. "The night is too far gone to do any more traveling. I suggest we find ourselves a hotel room and rest there for the day."

Because the village dealt with many sightseers, new hotels had been built in the town. Meaning there was a variety from which to choose their room. In one of the smaller hotels, they found an accommodating room with few windows. Unfortunately, there was only one bedroom, so Seras opted to take the couch in the main room rather than sleep in the same room with her master. There was also a problem with the proprietor.

The owner was a man of the suspicious type, and the two people about to rent a room in his establishment were of a breed he didn't trust one bit. So, to ensure he received his money, he required payment before the room was given.

Alucard had read the old man's mind, and was tempted to teach the insolent fool some manners. Unfortunately, they could not risk creating a scene, so Alucard grudgingly payed the man. However, he decided to give the owner a little shock.

Reaching into his coat, Alucard pulled forth a small bag and dumped the contents on the front desk. Small, strange disks rolled unevenly on the surface. To Seras they appeared to be golden coins of a very old sort, being covered in dust and sloppily engraved. The proprietor immediately recognized the coins as priceless Romanian coins, hundreds of years old.

"My lord, I apologize for my rude behavior. You needn't pay right now if you so choose." He gave the pair a low bow and began to ramble on about how comfortable they would be in his rooms.

Holding up a hand to silence the old man, Alucard silently handed him a single coin and pushed the rest back into the small purse. Placing the bag back into his coat, he grabbed the keys from the owner and strode out of the hotel. Seras walked behind, giving a glance at the still stunned owner.

Staring once more at the sky, Alucard decided to forgo sleep for a while yet. "Police Girl, I believe there's time enough left to enjoy ourselves."

Walking a short distance, Alucard led Seras into a nearby bar. Finding an empty table in a dark corner, they sat down. When the waitress came to their table, Alucard ordered for both of them, asking only for a bottle of red wine and two glasses.

"We're able to drink liquid other than blood?" Seras asked. She'd resigned herself to the simple, if delicious, diet of blood.

"Have you forgotten the drinking contest so quickly, Police Girl? Vampires can ingest any liquid, though solid food is beyond our consumption. Our bodies will expel the food immediately, making for a very messy scene."

After finishing their drinks and paying once more with the old coins, the pair returned to the hotel.

Settling down, both slept peacefully until the following evening.


	18. Allies

A/N: Another chapter up. Thanks to my readers and reviewers!

_Common enemies_

_Creates unexpected allies_.

The following evening, Seras was awoken abruptly by Alucard, making her nearly fall off the couch. She had managed to find some blankets, and in her sleep had unconsciously wrapped herself in them to keep from shaking. She dislodged herself from the entanglement of covers as Alucard spoke.

"Come Police Girl, the evening train leaves soon and we cannot risk taking a later one."

Sitting up groggily, Seras saw through the heavy curtains that the sun was only now setting. Grumbling, she arose and stretched her limbs, wondering how he had awoken so early. Looking down at her self, she sighed. Having no other wardrobe with her, she had been forced to sleep in her clothes. Strangely, when Seras went to smooth them from her night's sleep, they didn't appear to be wrinkled. Looking at her 'bed', she also noticed the covers had not shifted during the day.

"Hurry, Police Girl" Alucard called from the hall outside their room.

"Yes, Master" she answered, giving one last glance toward the couch. Then she joined her master in the hall and they set off toward the train station. Thankfully, Alucard had timed their awakening perfectly and the sun was just going behind the mountains as they exited the hotel.

Reaching the station with little time to spare, they quickly bought a compartment and seated themselves. They sat opposite each other, with Alucard staring intently at Seras. She began to squirm under his gaze and finally could not take the oppressing silence any longer.

"Master, is there something bothering you?"

"No Police Girl, but I believe you're wondering about the appearance of your bed." Seras nodded the affirmative. "The reason for the bed's unchanged covers was caused by your lack of movement. When a vampire sleeps during the day, they are as dead as any mortal death. So our bodies neither shift nor turn in sleep."

"Oh." Seras obviously had much to learn about her changed body.

The rest of the trip was spent in complete silence. Arriving in Budapest a few hours later, they found a coffin maker and Alucard selected from among the current stock of merchandise. As promised, he chose one suitable only for a single person. The coffin maker did give the two a suspicious look when Alucard payed for their 'bed' with his gold, but was wise enough not to ask questions.

Making their way to the airport, Alucard arranged for the coffin to be transported nonstop to England by way of a private cargo plane. Left alone for a few moments while the crew went in search of equipment to haul their temporary 'bed', they now had the chance to climb into the coffin.

However, the pair was faced with an interesting dilemma. How would both fit in the small coffin? Ingeniously, Alucard had ordered a wooden box tall enough for one of them to lie on top of the other. Meaning Seras, being the smaller of the two, would be forced to spend the entire trip laying on top of Alucard. She would have objected strenuously, but what other choice did they have?

The coffin trip was eventful, to say the least. Seras did not sleep very well, her hunger flaring up every hour or so. She had managed to control her need by distracting herself with the sights of Budapest, but now she had only the small confines of the coffin to occupy her sights with. Also, she continually heard Alucard laughing below her. Obviously he thought their predicament to be most amusing. His continual enjoyment made Seras wonder if he'd planned their current situation from the beginning.

Arriving at the London International Airport, they were placed on a truck and driven to one of the many hotels, as per Alucard's instructions. When the coffin had been settled in their room and the last footsteps had faded into the distance, the lid was quickly thrown open. Seras literally jumped out, nearly crashing into a wall in her eagerness to escape the cramped confines.

Also climbing out of the coffin, Alucard stretched his long limbs and inspected their new living quarters. He had ordered one of the more luxuriant suites, though he'd demanded that all the windows have thick curtains.

Walking out of the hotel entrance, Alucard stared with mild curiosity at his surroundings.

"The city has changed much since I was last here. There are quite a few more people now than there were back then." Whatever changes had taken place, he expected the visit to be much like his last. However, turning to Seras who lay beside him, he was reminded that there had been someone other than Seras with him.

"When did you last visit London Master?" Seras saw another chance for her to learn about Alucard's past.

"At the turn of the last century. Quite an interesting time I had here, too." Here he chuckled, remembering the interesting chase and games he had played with the mortals. They had tried very hard to destroy him, and had nearly done so. However, their underestimation of his powers caused their mission to fail. He had survived, while they had all grown old and were now long in their graves.

"We have no time for such idle talk, Police Girl. There's business we have to attend to."

Walking into a dark alley, Alucard turned into a flock of bats and flew into the sky. Seras followed, not sure where her master was leading her.

Reaching the outskirts of London, Alucard looked for familiar landmarks to guide him. Fortunately, the landscape of the large ancestral mansions had not changed much, so there was no difficulty finding the one he looked for. Locating the mansion, he noticed there had been a few changes done. Barracks had been built around the back of the mansion, making the grounds resemble a small military compound. There were also guards posted at the gate entrance and in various parts around the perimeter of the house. Apparently the organization had been paid well for their services to their country.

Seras looked at the compound below them. She had never seen a more fortified residence in her life. There were more troops here than there had been cadets at her police academy. What was Alucard getting them into?

Dropping into a clearing in the woods a few dozen yards from the gate, Alucard and Seras changed back to their original forms. The time had come for another training lesson.

"_Police Girl, the only way for us to enter the mansion is to turn into mist. You must learn the technique quickly, or we will not have enough time to complete our business this night." _He spoke in her mind so as not to alert the guards prowling around them.

"Yes, Master" Seras whispered, not sure if he could hear her thoughts.

"_Speak in your thoughts, and I'll hear you." _

"_Alright" _she answered. She felt silly talking in her mind, but her master had given her an order. She had no choice but to obey.

"_Concentrate on the air around you. Feel the pull of the wind and the wide expanse of the sky."_

Seras did as she was told, imagining all Alucard was telling her. Once more she felt her body change, shifting itself into a new form.

A few minutes later, the transformation was complete. Looking around, Seras noticed with relief that her vision was not as confusing as in her bat form. The only drawback appeared to be the wind, she had to pay heed to the ever-changing gusts or she would be blown off course.

With Alucard leading the way, they slowly slid along the ground and through the gates. Obviously the troops were unprepared for a vampire attack, since not one noticed the rather heavy mist now creeping among the compound. The heavy fog disappeared under the large oaken doors and swirled around the main hall, smelling where to go. Finding a scent, the mist floated up the stairs and under the first door of the second story.

Looking around the room, Seras was startled to see a female figure sitting behind the desk. Whoever the person was, she appeared to be staring at a large portrait of a man.

Integra was deep in thought when she sensed someone in the room. Turning her eyes toward the door, she was startled to see two people standing there. One, a man, was wearing a large red overcoat while his companion was a small woman with blond hair. Strangely, even though night had fallen, both were wearing sunglasses.

"How did you enter here?"

"Do you greet all your guests in such a manner, Miss Hellsing? Vampires are able to enter any building undetected, as I'm sure you're aware of."

Integra's first thought of action was to call in her men. They would quickly destroy the two menaces. But one question was bothering her, how had the monster known who she was?

"Your blood reeks of Hellsing. Also, sending in your men would not be wise. I believe you've seen the damage I can inflict. The demise of the Iscariot Organization was my doing."

"So you're the monster who destroyed Iscariot" Integra said calmly, realizing the monster could read her mind. Quickly remembering her father's training against the undead, she closed her thoughts to the vampire's prying. However, without the use of her troops, she now needed a new way to defend herself from the abomination before her.

The gun in the top drawer of her desk came to Integra's mind, the one she had ordered filled with silver bullets. She only needed to distract the vampire enough to draw the weapon.

"The Hellsing organization owes you our thanks for eliminating that nuisance. Odd though, the reports done by my agency showed more than one vampire. Of course, the evidence was accumulated by judging the damage alone, considering there were no survivors to tell us exactly what happened."

Here her mood changed and her voice grew cold. "Unfortunately, no matter what service you've done for my organization, I have sworn to destroy all of your kind." Integra quickly opened the drawer and pulled out her gun,

Alucard merely chuckled, apparently not impressed with the human standing before him. "Then I'm afraid you will be disappointed. I didn't come here to die, but to do business. An exchange, you might say. Your information for my services."

"What do you mean?" Her manner became less tense but the gun did not lower.

"Recently a creature invaded my territory. He was neither vampire nor human. His passport led us to London and a note found in one of his pockets led us to you. Depending upon how much information you have on the cheap imitation, I will lend my services accordingly. Of course, you must supply both of us with blood, though how you come by the liquid is your choice."

"How can I trust you won't feed upon my men?"

"You have my word as a gentleman" Alucard said, giving her a low bow and one of his grins.

"Gentlemen don't drink other people's blood, vampire."

"There is an exception to every rule, Miss Hellsing, but back to business. If you refuse my offer, than my associate and I will be forced to search London until we find the information we seek. I don't think you want two hungry vampires scouring your city, bound by no laws nor agreements."

When he received no answer, Alucard turned and began walking toward the door as if to leave. Seras remained where she was, still wondering about these new developments.

"We call them Freaks. They are vampires created by men, why anyone would do so we have yet to figure out. They have only appeared in the last few years." Integra did not like the idea of dealing with vampires, but the monsters' strength could prove useful.

'Then we have an agreement between us?" Alucard asked, sensing some hesitation.

"Yes."


	19. Pride

A/N:I tried to make everyone into character for this chapter. As always, thanks to every one of my readers and reviewers!

_A clashing of pride_

_Brings respect._

After making arrangements to meet the following night, Alucard and Seras left quickly. Alucard could sense Seras' weakening state of mind around so much fresh blood and knew he couldn't risk her losing control. She would have to wait till tomorrow for nourishment.

As they headed toward their hotel, there were many questions Seras wanted to ask her master. Unfortunately, she knew he would not answer any of them until he saw fit to. His secretive ways were starting to bother her. Being left in the dark for so long was a feeling she had never experienced.

Thankfully, their current room had two bedrooms, so Seras would not be forced to sleep on the couch. Looking around the suite, Seras suddenly noticed just how thorough Alucard had been in providing for their stay. The windows had large, heavy curtains covering all of the windows, which allowed no light to shine through. Alucard had also arranged for their room to be cleaned only during the night, so they would not be disturbed.

Seras lay down to sleep, but her body would not let her. The need for blood was overpowering the effects of day, keeping her eyes open. Her body began to shake, showing her struggle to control her vampire instincts. So there she lay, wide awake and the hunger increasing with each passing moment.

Finally, her instincts won over her better judgement and she arose from her bed.

Alucard had been psychically observing Seras' battle, curious as to how long she could resist the hunger. Sensing her movements from the adjoining room, he knew the battle was over. Also rising from his bed, he walked to the doorway to his bedroom and watched his fledgling silently move through their suite. She appeared to be inspecting the heavy curtains which covered the windows, blocking the risen sun from entering the room.

Alucard knew the vampire in Seras would know her body's limits better than Seras herself. The sun would prevent the young vampire from leaving the hotel, so she would be forced to hunt humans already residing in the building. He argued with himself between allowing Seras her first attempt at hunting or stopping her before people began to disappear. Of course, there was also the agreement he had made with Hellsing. Though remembering their exact discussion with Integra, she had only mentioned for them to leave her troops alone.

However, once more they could not risk attracting attention to themselves. Quickly striding into the living room, Alucard caught hold of one of Seras' wrists and began pulling her back into her room. He would somehow have to trap her in the bedroom until night fell, when she would be in control of herself once more. The fledgling would also remember nothing from her bloodlust episode, all the better for what she was trying to do to her master.

The young vampire struggled in his grasp, not recognizing who was holding her. She was too deep in the blood thirst to distinguish between friend and foe, and would have killed Alucard had she been able to. Her fangs were longer than usual and she repeatedly tried to bite into Alucard's wrist in an attempt to free herself. Her master easily kept her mouth out of range from his body, considering their difference in speed.

Entering Seras' room, Alucard flung her on the bed and disappeared. Seras dashed to the doorway in the hopes of escaping, but was stopped when Alucard reappeared and again grabbed her wrist. Now carrying the ropes which had bound their coffin shut, her master literally dragged the snarling vampire toward the bed. Deftly catching Seras' other wrist, he began to wind the cord around her arms and legs.

Completing the job in a matter of seconds, Alucard threw her on the bed and sat himself down in one of the room's chairs. Seras struggled for several minutes, finally exhausting herself and falling to sleep. He watched over her the entire day to ensure she would make no trouble for the hotel.

The following night they again journeyed to the Hellsing mansion. Walking into Integra's office, Alucard's grin grew larger at the sight of an elderly gentleman standing before the large desk.

"It's been a long time, Angel of Death."

Walter spun around in surprise at hearing his old nickname. His eyes widened at the sight of Alucard, but quickly returned to their normal size.

"My, my, I never expected we would meet again. How did you ever manage to survive the explosion?"

"Explosion?" Seras asked, barely able to follow the conversation.

"Yes, Police Girl. Our previous meeting was rather exciting. Hellsing was on a mission on the continent and we crossed paths. He actually tried to kill me by collapsing a church while I was in the structure. I see you've grown old, Angel."

"We may have to see if my age has caught up to me" Walter replied, grinning at his former adversary.

"If you two are done reminiscing" Integra interrupted, "then Walter will show you to the firing range. I have some papers to finish and will meet you down there shortly."

"My apologies, Sir Integra" Walter said, giving her an apologetic bow. "We have also acquired the supply of blood agreed upon" Walter added.

"Good. Both of you are free to use the liquid at your discretion. Walter will show you to the kitchen."

"As you wish, my Lady." Walter then turned to the two vampires. "This way please."

After retrieving their nourishment from the kitchen, Alucard and Seras followed the elderly servant through the back of the mansion and outside. The fledgling vampire did have some internal qualms about drinking the donated blood, but one look from her master made her swallow her hesitation and drain the package.

"I see you've modified my weapon design" Walter said, observing the large gun Alucard held.

"Yes, I wanted something bigger, a gun suitable for only a vampire. Though I'm sure you've noticed that my associate is without a weapon. Are your skills still capable of creating a weapon befitting her?"

"Certainly, I'll see what I can do."

Arriving at the firing range, Seras noticed with apprehension the many armed men practicing. She was nearly paralyzed with fear when they all turned toward the visitors and noticed the two vampires. The glares she received were enough to freeze the blood in her veins.

Walter, apparently unfazed by the staring of the men, began to explain the tactics of the armed military force. Seras heard very little, too preoccupied with the aspect of one of her new 'comrades' 'accidently' shooting her in the heart with one of their silver bullets.

"_You will not be placed with the humans, Police Girl. We will be working solo."_

"_Master, why are these men staring at us with such hatred? We've done nothing to them."_

Alucard's chuckle echoed through Seras' mind. _"They see us as a threat. No matter how hard you try to make friends with them, they will always see you as the enemy, an abomination to be extinguished." _

"Let me introduce you to the commander of Hellsing's troops" Walter said, unknowingly interrupting their telepathic conversation. He gestured toward a tall man walking their way. "Captain Pip Bernadette, this is Alucard and Seras Victoria. I believe Sir Integra has briefed you on them." Pip nodded the affirmative.

Seras looked over the commander, wondering where Integra had found such a character. He wore a heavy overcoat, with the writing 'Light Here Light Now' written on the back. The hat he wore was similar to a cowboy's, though one side of the rim was turned up. His long hair was braided and looped around his neck, while several long strands hung over one of his eyes.

Pip appeared to be having the same doubts as Seras. He was scrutinizing Alucard's outfit with distaste and was staring at Seras' innocent face in disbelief. The two people in front of him surely didn't fit the look of a vampire nor did they resemble any undead he had encountered before.

"You two are really vampires?"

"Are your men truly vampire hunters?" Alucard asked, obviously insulted by Pip's question. Maybe later he'd teach the human whelp the true power of a Nosferatu.

"If you two are truly bloodsuckers, zen prove it."

"Certainly" Alucard said, an insane grin appearing on his face. "You no doubt have silver bullets in the gun you hold. Shoot me."

"Alright zen" Pip said, shrugging at the red-coated stranger's madness. Drawing his gun, the mercenary aimed the barrel at Alucard's leg and shot. The silver bullet squarely hit the vampire's kneecap, shattering the bone and exiting out the back of his leg, leaving a smoking hole. Pip's mouth gaped as he watched the wound quickly sealing itself.

"_Zis guy is no ordinary vampire. Glad 'e is on our side" _he thought.

Alucard started to chuckle, and also drew his weapon.

"Now, shall we prove if you're truly a vampire hunter?" He carefully aimed the gun at Pip's own knee, expecting the human to start shaking. However, looking into Pip's eyes he saw no fear, only anger and, pity? _This human could be interesting to watch. _

Just as Alucard was about to pull the trigger, Integra emerged from the building. She noticed their small group and calmly walked toward them.

"There's been a vampire sighting in a small village near London" she announced, unaffected by the glares Pip and Alucard were giving one another. "I want both groups, vampire and human, to investigate."

"Yes, sir" Pip answered, giving Integra a half-hearted salute and turning to his men.

"Master, I don't have a weapon" Seras mentioned, wondering if she should ask the commander for one.

"A perfect opportunity to practice your vampire skills, Police Girl."

"But, what if I'm too slow turning into bats or changing into mist?" she asked, becoming anxious.

"Then you'll be destroyed" Alucard said calmly, becoming mist.

"What?" Seras called to the air, receiving no reply.


	20. Caution

A/N: A little longer than the last chapter. To all my readers and reviewers, thanks and enjoy!

_Caution is for the wise_

_Who know their limits._

Seras transformed as quickly as she could and followed her master. _Strange _she thought as she left the Hellsing grounds. Alucard had taken flight before Integra had told them where to go, but he seemed to know which way to go. However, how he knew where to go was a question she would ask later, for she was currently preoccupied with keeping Alucard within sight.

Drifting over a quiet village, Seras observed the mist before her drop slowly to the ground. The fog swirled and then Alucard stood there, staring up at her. Apparently, he'd found the vampire infested area and was waiting for her to alight from the sky.

Setting down beside him, she looked around the area curiously. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. There was the usual amount of cottages and stores, fields and streets. Strangely, though the hour was not late, there were no people milling about.

"We have some time before the humans arrive in their vehicles" Alucard noted. "I suggest we have ourselves a look around." So saying, he began to walk along the empty streets.

After strolling along several roads and glancing down others, Alucard grabbed hold of Seras' arm. Seras thought he had seen something, but his voice betrayed no such discovery.

"Police Girl, do you recall the man in the church, the one I had drained?" Seras nodded in the affirmative. "He had turned into a ghoul, a mindless slave for vampires. You may meet many here tonight. The only way to release them is to cut off their heads or remove their hearts. Remember, they are merely puppets, destroy them without mercy."

Seras stared at Alucard numbly, wondering why he was only now telling her this information. What if she had met one earlier, what would have happened then? Without a second thought, she probably would have approached the creature and been destroyed for her actions. Seras pulled out of her thoughts as he once again spoke.

"There's no advantage in keeping together. We'll be able to investigate more by separating."

"Master?" Seras asked, hoping she had heard him wrong.

His movements answered her question, as he abruptly walked in the opposite direction. Seras sighed heavily, then shook her head. She could handle such an easy task, she only needed to remember her police training.

Suddenly, Seras heard the soft tread of footsteps coming from the direction Alucard had left. She turned to the source of the noise, hoping the sound was merely Alucard returning. Unfortunately, the figure standing before her was not her master.

The person stumbling toward her looked like a girl, no older than twelve. The dress she wore had handmade flower patterns sewn onto the front, matching perfectly the bow tie in her hair. Her satin shoes scuffed along the dirt road as the girl slowly approached the vampire. The child's appearance better suited a cheerful birthday party, rather than the deathlike surroundings now encompassing the town.

The sight before Seras was normal enough, except for one gruesome detail. The little girl's face was dripping with gore, a long gash cutting across her face. Her eyes were empty and she moved with no semblance of thought, as if another controlled her actions. The child was a ghoul, and apparently the vampire had horribly mutilated its victim before draining her blood.

Seras began to back away, doubt filling her mind. The ghoul was a mere child, how could anyone torture such an innocent? How could she end the existence of such a being, someone who hadn't had a chance to live? She felt her back collide with a house, stopping her hurried retreat. The ghoul child's steps suddenly quickened, closing the remaining distance in a matter of seconds.

_She's not human, she's just a puppet! _Seras screamed in her mind. Pulling back one of her arms, she prepared herself for the ghoul. When the monster was within her arm reach, she plunged her hand into the girl's chest. A loud scream echoed through the town, the final agony of the ghoul. Seras noticed with some comfort the peace which settled into the little girl's eyes, as she slowly turned to dust.

"Took you long enough, Police Girl."

Turning toward the voice, she stared rigidly at her master.

"You knew the ghoul was there, didn't you?" Seras asked angrily, irritated that she'd been unknowingly drawn into the confrontation.

Alucard turned to leave, avoiding her questioning yet again. She grabbed his arm to stop him, regretting the action immediately. He turned slowly, his eyes piercing hers. She began to shake, the power and anger behind those orbs nearly freezing her with fear.

"You had to be shown not to give mercy to the enemy" he said in a low voice. "You still hold on to your humanity, a useless effort which will kill you."

She watched as he walked away, still too paralyzed to move.

"Besides" Alucard said in a lighter tone, "your training isn't done." He turned and gave her a wide grin.

The humor in his voice and the sight of his usual smile brought Seras out of her fear induced state. She cautiously walked over to him and peered into his face. He merely gazed at her for a moment, then began walking toward the center of the town.

"I think we'll wait for the humans, Police Girl. They may give us a show when the fun begins."

Walking into the town square and standing beside the disused public well, Seras once again wondered where all the people had gone. There was still no sign of a living or dead soul anywhere, other than the one ghoul she'd destroyed.

Standing there, among the deserted square of the once bustling village, Seras slowly began to feel the presence of someone watching them. She looked around the square at all the buildings, but could see no one.

She was about to ask Alucard about her feelings when she suddenly saw large trucks coming their way. They appeared to be armored military vehicles, though she could find no defining insignia anywhere to support her supposition. She saw someone step out of the lead vehicle. Recognizing the figure as Pip, Seras breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing to worry about from these humans; at least, she hoped not.

Alucard watched the assembling group of men prepare for combat with indifference. Even with the amount of training they had, he doubted their survival rate was very high.

Seras suddenly jumped, startled by the unexpected sound of laughter. Alucard merely turned his head in the direction of the voice, already aware of the vampire's presence. Standing among the rooftops, encompassed in shadows, stood a lone figure of a young woman.

"I've been expecting you, Alucard."

Hearing his name caught the elder vampire off guard. How did the whelp know who he was?

"My boss told me you'd be here. Said I'd get a reward if I managed to kill ya." Seras noticed the vampire's accent was American. Obviously they recruited whomever they could find to turn into Freaks.

"And who is your master, fake?" Alucard asked nonchalantly, regaining his usual composure of indifference.

"Why should I tell you? I'd get nothing for my trouble."

"If you value a quick death, then tell me. Otherwise I'll destroy you slowly."

"You, kill me? Don't make me laugh. You're so pathetic, I think I'll let my new friends do my errand for me." With a snap of his fingers, dozens of ghouls emerged from the shadows. Like the previous ghoul, these had also been mutilated almost beyond recognition. They had finally found the missing townspeople.

"Using slaves to do your dirty work. Pathetic."

Alucard had no time to say more, for the ghouls were upon the two vampires and humans. He had no difficulty in eliminating his enemies. He merely shot the ones out of his arm length and impaled the others with his hand. The Hellsing squadron kept their ghouls at bay with well-  
placed shots to the main portion of the group. The rest were easily picked off by individual fire.

Seras used her former police training to ward off most of the attacking ghouls, but she could not stop the wave surrounding herself. Before she knew what hit her, she was knocked to the ground and piled upon.

Seras could feel herself losing control, giving in to her vampiric instincts. But she would not let herself succumb to the blood rage. If she lost control, everyone around her, including the Hellsing troops, would be killed. She had to concentrate on the skills she had acquired.

Her first thought was to change into bats and fly out from under the pile. However, if she transformed into the tiny creatures, they could be easily broken by the mindless slaves. Mist, on the other hand, would be untouchable and still give the advantage of flight.

Focusing on the air around her and not the arms attempting to pull her body apart, Seras began to transform. Unfortunately, at the rate she was going, the ghouls would succeed in tearing her limbs from her body before the process was complete. She had to find more strength, and quickly.

A thought struck her as she remembered her fight with the Freak. Alucard had said the blood in her veins had power. If she could tap into that power without losing control, then she'd be able to escape her fleshy prison.

Alucard, in the middle of decapitating a ghoul, suddenly sensed a large amount of power emanating from somewhere. Finishing off the last of the ghouls which had attacked him, he turned to look at his fledgling. The elder vampire smiled as he saw Seras' body practically glow with energy. He had certainly chosen the perfect candidate to be his first child.

With one massive burst of energy, the ghouls surrounding Seras were blown off. She had used too much power to transform and the extra was released from her body. As Alucard watched, the ghouls closest to her appeared to explode from the sheer force of the blast, while the others were simply slammed into the nearest buildings. Seras herself was now only a wispy fog, floating above the carnage she had caused.

The Hellsing troops soon annihilated the remaining ghouls, leaving only the Freak. During the battle, the woman had been forced from the rooftops by the gunfire, and was now kneeling next to the well. Walking up to the fake, Alucard noted with disgust the disbelief and terror in the fake's eyes. He pointed the barrel of his gun at the vampire's forehead.

"Will you tell us your master's name?"

"Never" she said, and spat in Alucard's direction.

A single silver bullet to the brain from his gun was Alucard's reply.

"Why did you do zat!" Pip yelled angrily. "We needed 'er!"

"She would not have given us any information. The woman had fear in her eyes, but it was not because of us. The Freak had failed and the punishment would be her death" Alucard stated calmly.

Seras, now changed back into her normal form, approached the group. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Pip staring at her. He was giving her a strange look, and seemed to be scrutinizing her hair.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked, believing some blood had managed to spill into her hair. However, pulling a strand in front of her face, she was shocked to see the color had changed from her strawberry blonde to one of dark black. Catching sight of more hair, she observed only every other strand had changed, giving her hair the design of a tiger's fur. Turning to Alucard, she gave him a questioning glance.

"Master, what's happening to my hair?" Seras asked calmly, believing there must be a logical explanation for the sudden and drastic change in hair color.

"Interesting" Alucard said, walking up to her and grabbing a lock of the newly turned hair. He examined the color, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Fledglings are known to take on some physical appearances of their masters, though the occurrence is rare."

"What?" She wasn't sure she liked what he was implying.

"Through my blood, you've inherited my hair color" he stated simply. "The rise in your abilities must have triggered your body's reaction with my blood."

"You mean this is permanent?"

"Yes."

Seras took one last look at the strand she held, and then flung the hair back. "Great" she muttered, not thrilled at all with the forced change in hair color.

Glancing once more to the pile of ash, Alucard thought over what the Freak had said. Someone knew they were here, and was challenging them to a game of strength._ Interesting._


	21. Enemy

A/N: This story is growing longer than I thought it would. Hope no one gets bored with the plot. And as always, thanks to my readers and reviewers!

_The enemy takes many forms,_

_Some less obvious than others._

The two vampires returned to their hotel room after the mission and slept until the following night. When Seras awoke, she immediately looked at her hair. She had hoped the effects of Alucard's blood had worn off, but was disappointed when she saw the black stripes among the blond.

"The effects won't wear off, Police Girl" Alucard said, materializing beside her bed.

"Master!" Seras yelped, nearly jumping off her bed in surprise. Then the fledgling remembered she'd removed her clothes before sleeping, having grown tired of waking up in a wrinkled outfit. She slipped the covers over her scantily clad body, blushing at the intrusion into her private quarters. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!"

Her master merely chuckled and bent down so his eyes were level with hers. The blood red color of his eyes seemed to drown her reflection, leaving only the darkness beyond.

"You needn't be so shy around me, Police Girl. You are my child, after all" he said, inching his face closer to Seras'.

Seras, shocked by his actions, could only stare speechlessly at Alucard. When he began moving closer, she jerked out of her paralysis and quickly shoved herself back. Slamming into the headboard made her master stop his encroachment and pull back. As he straightened himself up Alucard gave Seras one of his grins, though she thought she saw a hint of regret in his eyes.

"Quickly dress. Integra will be expecting us soon." So said, he vanished as quickly as he had come.

After Seras had slipped into her uniform, Alucard and she flew to the Hellsing mansion. Retrieving a few blood packs from the kitchen, the two vampires were called to Integra's office. Entering the room, they were immediately bombarded with commands.

"Seras, Walter wishes to see you. Alucard, stay here. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Seras looked toward Alucard, wondering if she should go. He seemed to be studying a painting of an elderly gentleman hung on the wall, but responded to her doubtful thoughts.

"_I'll inform you later, Police Girl."_

Seras mentally acknowledged Alucard's decision, nodded her head to Integra and left the room quickly. Walking down the steps, she met Walter climbing up.

"I was just looking for you, Miss Victoria. Will you come with me, please?"

"What is it?" Seras asked, looking at him questioningly. Judging by Walter's eagerness, she guessed the surprise was going to be interesting.

"Something Alucard requested. This way" he said mysteriously, leading her down the stairs.

When the elder vampire could no longer hear his child's footsteps, he turned to Integra. An expression of slight interest was on his face, showing her that she had his attention.

"My men investigated the town where you had destroyed the Freak. She seems to have scrolled many messages over the entire area surrounding the village. One writing had especially caught our attention."

She threw a photo across the desk in his direction, watching his reaction. Alucard picked up the picture and appeared to absently inspect the contents. He gave away none of his emotions, though the photo gave him a shock.

The picture showed a city sign, the one which showed the name and population. Painted over the sign, in what appeared to be blood, were the words **Alucard's Destruction Is Dawning**.

"What's the meaning of this?" Integra asked Alucard, watching his face for any signs of understanding. The monster before her told little of what he knew, and she was determined to learn the information he kept from her.

"I have no idea. But if these pathetic fools wish for my destruction, they must try harder. Your father, I presume?" he asked suddenly, gesturing toward the portrait hanging on the wall.

Integra, taken back by the question, could only nod the affirmative. Though she had enough thought left to wonder why the vampire was interested in her father. He had also managed to turn the focus of conversation away from the mysterious message.

Suddenly Alucard's smile changed into a frown, and he turned in the direction Seras had left.

"You seem to have a traitor in your midst, Miss Hellsing."

Before Integra had a chance to ask him about his words, he vanished in a mass of darkness. Alucard also gave her no time to question him about his knowledge of her family.

Following Walter, Seras had been led down another flight of stairs and along several halls. Walking along, she observed that the underground portion of the mansion had stone walls and floors, similar to the catacombs in Alucard's castle. Each door along the halls was made of wood, and looked exactly like one another. She hadn't known the compound was so huge and was glad she had Walter to lead her back.

Finally, Walter stopped at one of the many portals and pushed open the wooden door. Turning to Seras, he motioned for her to enter first. Hesitating, she looked into the room, seeing only a single table with a large case situated in one of the corners.

Seeing nothing threatening, she strode into the space with the elderly retainer following behind. Walter walked over to the large box, while Seras edged her way to the table. She watched as the servant carefully unlocked the metal clamps and opened the container. Reaching his hands into the case, he slowly turned to Seras.

"This is your new weapon, Miss Victoria" Walter said proudly, lifting what appeared to be a large tank barrel out of the box. He stood the weapon on its end next to him, being easily dwarfed by its length.

"What is this!" Seras nearly yelled, confused by the size of the weapon. How the old retainer had managed to lift the apparent barrel was beyond her imagination.

"The harkonnen cannon" Walter said proudly. "The barrel is thirty millimeters long, with the ability to annihilate both ground and air forces. There are two types of casings, uranium shells and armor-piercing incendiary rounds."

Seras stared mutely at the cannon, horror written upon her face. The sheer size of the weapon compared to her small frame made her wonder if Walter had gone insane.

"How am I going to carry that thing?" she asked, with obvious confusion.

"Alucard told me you're quite capable of handling the size and weight."

_Thank you, Master _Seras thought with sarcasm. He seemed to enjoy giving her the most difficult challenges, all for the sake of 'training'.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a Hellsing soldier, who saluted Walter and then glanced uneasily from Seras to the butler. Seras didn't recognize the employee as having come from Pip's group or any of the other troops, though she admitted to herself that she had met very few people in the Hellsing organization.

"You don't seem familiar" Walter commented. Apparently, the old retainer also had doubts about the man's identity. "When did you join Hellsing?"

"Just last week" the man said, smiling sheepishly at the two. "I'm one of the new recruits from the SAS. Am I interrupting something?" he asked, indicating the large weapon Walter held.

"Nothing at all. What may I do for you?" Walter asked, placing the harkonnen down on the table.

"Well, I'm afraid there's some trouble at the firing range. The guns have all jammed and the commander told me to find you."

"What a bother" Walter said, hurriedly walking past the soldier and out the door.

As his footsteps disappeared down the hall, the new recruit turned to Seras. The look in his eyes reminded her of a hungry wolf. There was also cunning in the soldier's face, as he blocked the doorway with his body. He gave Seras' body a thorough inspection, then turned his attention to her suspicious face.

"Alucard has good tastes, though my master was not expecting two vampires. No matter, you'll be easily dealt with."

Seras stared dumbfounded at the man, wondering what the hell he was talking about. Then she slowly comprehended the situation. Somehow the enemy had infiltrated Hellsing, and now he stood before her.

Seras looked closely at the man before her, analyzing the threat he posed. She could tell he was human, since he did not have any discolorations in his eyes. His movements were also too slow to be the speed of a vampire. Seras was glad the man wasn't a Freak because now she wouldn't have to destroy him. He would also be able to give them information about the enemy, which they sorely needed.

Unfortunately, he was faster than most humans. Seras realized the soldier also knew some martial arts, as he did an aerial kick which connected with her stomach. The force knocked her against the wall opposite the door, Standing to her feet, she attempted to tackle him and was instead thrown over the man's shoulders.

While in midair, she caught a glimpse of the weapon on the table. Concentrating on her vampiric powers, she was able to land on her feet and use the floor as a springboard. Propelling past the man and to the table, she quickly grabbed the cannon. She was shocked by how light the heavy artillery was in her hands, but had no time to think further for the soldier had darted toward her.

Seras would have fired her new weapon but the harkonnen would have ripped a substantial hole in the human's body. Instead, she grabbed the cannon and swung the lengthy barrel in the man's direction. His stomach caught the full blow, sending him flying backwards into the wall. The soldier slumped against the stones in a state of complete unconsciousness.

"Left me no fun, Police Girl?" Alucard said as he materialized in the room.

"Master, what is going on?" Seras asked, indicating the prone figure on the floor.

"Simple, Police Girl. Hellsing had a traitor in their midst. Now we had best return to Integra's office, she appears to want an explanation for my sudden disappearance." He smiled, sensing his abrupt disappearance had caused her some annoyance.

"Are you reading her mind, Master?" Seras asked accusingly. Though their alliance with Hellsing was shaky, they could at least give each other some respect.

"Relax, Police Girl. She doesn't often let down her guard. I was only able to read her thoughts because she lost her concentration. I expect no one has ever infiltrated Hellsing, and she seems quite upset with that possibility."

He grabbed Seras' wrist before she could respond, transporting them to Integra's office.

"What was the meaning of leaving without my leave?" Integra growled, giving Seras and Alucard suspicious glares.

"You forget, Miss Hellsing, we are not your troops. You have no power to order us according to your whims."

"Very well" she said, settling down into her chair. Taking a cigarette out of a box on the desk she lit the end and inhaled deeply, letting the fumes sooth her mind. The frequency of the Freak attacks had increased, giving her more stress than she could handle. _After this affair is done, I'm going to take a much needed vacation _she thought. "What were you saying about there being an intruder? Hellsing has no traitors in its midst."

"You did, though Seras has taken care of your problem. He will be unconscious for quite a while, though he is still alive."

Integra settled back in her chair, calculating the new developments. Someone had been thorough with their infiltration, and now knew the operations of Hellsing. Well, she would have her 'interrogation' squad discover what the spy had told the enemy. Crushing the last of her cigar, she turned her attention back to the vampires.

"I have another assignment for you two. A lone operation, because frankly I don't want to lose any of my men."

Alucard smirked at her blunt reply but said nothing. He wanted a challenge, and the humans would only get in his way. Besides, Seras may try to make friends with some of the whelp, if given a chance. He had to teach her not to become involved with the mortals, or she would never let go of her human emotions.

"I want you two to investigate a suspected Freak factory on one of London's wharfs. Find out whatever you can and report back to me. Also, if possible, bring one of them back alive."


	22. Struggle

A/N: Another Monday, another chapter, and a request to all my readers. If anyone finds a mistake, please tell me. My perfectionist nature really hates them. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!

_Internal struggles_ _within_

_Give rise to self doubt._

Seras strolled quietly alongside Alucard as they left the Hellsing mansion's grounds. Because the mission was one of stealth, she had decided to leave her harkonnen behind. The huge weapon would be too noticeable and the destruction the shells caused would annihilate any valuable evidence they might find.

Walking past the huge front gates, Seras suddenly remembered one of her earlier questions. While they'd been flying to the ghoul-infested village the previous night, Alucard had somehow known where to go.

"Master, how did you know where to find the Freak? We weren't told where the village was" she hesitantly asked, believing he would avoid the question. Alucard seemed to like acting mysterious toward everyone, even her. So she was surprised to receive a straight answer.

"The Freak had undoubtedly made ghouls, which have a particular aura around them" Alucard said, as he continued to walk past the mansion's many buildings. "Vampires have the ability to sense this aura. A useful skill when tracking your enemy or the ghouls they've created. However, for now we'll practice another transformation. I hope you like fur, Police Girl" he said, entering the surrounding forest.

"Huh?" Seras said, then she caught on to what he was talking about. "You mean a wolf, don't you?"

"Yes. The ability to change into a wolf will be useful for our scouting mission. So long as no one gets a good look at you, they'll just assume you're a large dog. And Police Girl" he said, turning his head toward her, "you think I'm mysterious, do you?" He gave her a mischievous grin, as Seras blushed a bright red. She'd let her thoughts slip again.

Entering the clearing where he'd taught her to change into mist, they stopped.

"This is far enough, Police Girl. Now, get down on your knees" he said casually, as if they were doing nothing out of the ordinary. He watched passively as she hesitantly obeyed his command.

Seras, unlike Alucard, felt ridiculous. She wondered if kneeling was really necessary, as she appeared to be bowing before her master. Alucard loomed over her like a giant, and didn't seem to notice her discomfort as he continued to speak.

"Clear your thoughts and concentrate on the ground beneath you. Imagine running through the trees, hunting your prey. The smell and sounds of the dark night calling to you."

Seras closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on what Alucard had told her. For a long moment she felt nothing, and was about to open her eyes when something began to happen. Suddenly she noticed an itching sensation, beginning from her hands and traveling to the rest of her body. She reached up with one hand to scratch, but found that she could not hold her balance. Looking down at herself, she saw two large paws where her hands should be. She looked behind her, finding a bushy tail in place of her clothing.

Rising to her four feet, Seras experiment with her new form. Walking around the meadow, she recognized that her wolf's body had advantages and disadvantages to her other transformations. She was now faster than the mist, though noisier, and she could attack with this body, but the bats had the asset of height.

Seras saw that Alucard had turned, not into a wolf, but into a giant dog. He resembled a hell hound, with the red eyes and fur as dark as coal. Spiked collars around his neck and front right paw added to the effect. What she couldn't take her eyes from, however, were the four extra eyes atop his head. The lids were currently shut, but she guessed they were also red.

"_What form is that?" _she asked curiously. Seras couldn't recall any tales where the vampire turned into a giant hell hound. She wondered if she was able to change into a form like that.

"_My familiar's form. You have one, though at your current abilities there's no way you can bring forth the beast."_

"_Oh" _she answered, disappointed with her lack of training.

As they jogged their way along the streets, Seras noticed something odd. With her now heightened sense of smell, she found that the scent of sea air was growing fainter. They were heading further away from the harbor.

"_Master, where are we going?"_

"_We're taking a small detour. I have an old acquaintance to see."_

Alucard would say no more as they ran among the narrow streets of the capital. Seras noticed he was leading them to an older portion of the city. The buildings were larger and traffic had become nonexistent.

Following a few steps behind her master, Seras saw him suddenly leap upward. She screeched to a halt and watched with amazement as he landed gracefully on one of the flat rooftops. He'd easily jumped thirty feet, without the apparent use of his vampiric powers.

"_Police Girl, get up here. Your body isn't that of a normal wolf's, so stop wasting time and jump!" _he ordered.

"_Y-yes, master"_ Seras replied, staring at the distance needed to reach where Alucard now stood. Gathering her courage, she began to run toward the building. At the last moment when she thought there was no chance of her making the leap, a voice in her mind told her to jump. So she did. Seras watched the structure's walls fly before her and suddenly she was lying on her stomach with Alucard beside her. Though her landing wasn't as elegant as the elder vampire's, Seras had managed to jump the distance to him.

"_I can't believe I just did that!" _she said excitedly, overcome with pride. Then her thoughts turned to puzzlement. _"Wait, how did I know when to jump?"_

"_Perfect instincts, Police Girl" _Alucard answered, watching her unsteadily climb to her feet. _"Let's put them to the test, shall we?" _Seras stared at her master and thought she could almost see the large dog grinning mischievously.

Alucard suddenly bounded across the rooftop and leapt to a neighboring building. Seras followed quickly, focusing her attention on keeping her master in sight and not falling off. She was led for some distance, using her wolf's instincts to keep from losing her balance. She noticed with some alarm that Alucard's speed was steadily increasing, until the passing structures seemed like blurs to the fledgling vampire. There seemed no limit to their swiftness, and Seras was beginning to feel the exhilaration of using her vampiric powers.

Then suddenly Alucard stopped, causing Seras to nearly slam into him. Looking around, she saw they were standing on a normal rooftop, with one decidedly large difference. Situated at one end of the flat roof was what appeared to be an elevator, and at the other stood a small mansion.

Alucard assumed his normal form and approached the strange building, with Seras following suite. Reaching the two large wooden doors which barred entrance, he pushed them open and stepped inside. When Seras entered, she saw large stacks of books scattered around the room, with a hall leading further back into the building. Dust covered much of the area, while cobwebs dangled from the ceiling. A single candle, lit beside a Victorian era chair, was the only sign that someone occupied these strange quarters.

Seras jumped as she heard Alucard shut the doors behind her, the silence of the room grating on her nerves. Now the only source of light came from the candle by the chair.

"What is your reason for disturbing my reading?" a voice called from the darkness. Another candle was suddenly lit, illuminating the room and revealing the person who had spoken.

Seras was stunned by the figure before them. The person was a little girl who appeared to be no more than twelve years old. She wore a snow white dress and had light blond hair which reached to her waist. There was one difference which told Seras that the child before her was more than she appeared. An unnatural light burnt in her eyes, showing the mark of a vampire.

"Helena, it's been awhile" Alucard responded, giving the small girl a short bow. Seeing Seras, he motioned for her to step forward.

"Whom have you brought with you this time?" Helena asked, noticing the fledgling now standing beside Alucard. She approached Seras and stared at her intently. "A young vampire, and her blood is familiar." She suddenly turned to Alucard with slightly widened eyes. "You have made a child" she stated, rather than asked.

Seras stood between the two, her curiosity aroused by what Helena had said. "How did you know I'm Master Alucard's fledgling? And who did he come with before?"

"We don't have time for idle talk, Police Girl" Alucard interrupted, before the child vampire could reply. "Helena, what do you know of these human vampires?"

"So that is your business here" she said to Alucard, though her eyes never left Seras. "I can give you very little information which you do not already have. I know only that the force behind these manufactured vampires is searching for you. Over the last few years there have been many questions asked about your whereabouts. Though why they wish to know, I cannot tell you."

"As I suspected, by the way they've so blatantly attacked us. Well" he said, turning toward the door "if you have nothing further to tell us, we'll be on our way." Seras distractedly began to follow her master to the exit, contemplating what Helena had told them.

"One moment. I wish to speak to Seras before you leave" Helena suddenly said, causing the two to turn in surprise.

"Should I leave?" Alucard asked, though made no movement toward the door.

Helena turned to Alucard and gave him a small smile. "There is no need. If removed, you will merely read her thoughts later."

Alucard smirked but did not dispute what she'd said. Nor did he leave.

Turning to Seras, Helena looked directly into her eyes. "I wish to give you some advice, child. You are still unsure of the life you have chosen, and how you must now survive by taking life from others. Don't regret your decisions, Seras, but make the best of what you now have. Life, even an immortal one, is too short to let guilt consume you."

Seras looked at Helena with astonishment. She'd spoken her deepest doubts and thoughts.

"Now go you two. I believe you have a mission to attend to." The doors swung open of their own accord, telling the two that their conversation had come to a close.

Alucard walked out with a stunned Seras close behind. Gazing at the stars, he noted the time and realized they had little night left to complete their mission. He changed into his familiar's form but noticed with annoyance that Seras did not transform. She appeared to be deep in thought, still pondering what Helena had told her.

"_Seras, snap out of it"_ Alucard said to her, biting her arm to get her attention.

"Ow!" Seras yelped, jumping back in surprise. She rubbed her now slightly bleeding wrist. "Did you have to do that?" she asked angrily.

"_We don't have time for your night dreaming"_ he told her, bounding across the roof in the direction of the harbor. Seras sighed and changed into her wolf body, running to catch up to her master.


	23. Acceptance

A/N: I decided to change my updating day to Sunday. Thanks everyone!

_Acceptance of who you are_

_Is the most important approval._

Reaching the harbor a few minutes later, Alucard and Seras looked around the shipyard. Integra had given them the structure's number containing the suspected Freak factory, but they found little need for the information. The building they were looking for was surrounded by guards posted on each side, and had surveillance cameras along every wall. All were obvious signs that someone did not want people near the warehouse.

"_We may have some fun this time, Police Girl. And I haven't had fresh blood in quite some time." _Seras could hear the eagerness in his voice, and was reminded of a predator stalking an easy prey.

"_Master, Integra told us to leave some of them alive."_

"_Oh but she said only one, which means there are still so many left for us. You will be joining me, won't you? Or do you still refuse to drink from the living?" _he asked, a slight hint of disgust in his voice.

"_I think not, Master" _Seras answered dryly, not a bit taken with his proposal. Nor did his anger affect her, though the look on Alucard's face made her feel some regret. He was disappointed in her, told by the slight curl of his lips downward, barely noticeable in the darkness even to her vampiric eyes. _"Besides, I've already had a packet of blood tonight."_

Suddenly Seras noticed the air becoming thicker, less visible. A fog was coming off the harbor, though she'd never seen mist so impenetrable. Looking toward her master, she saw the look of concentration in his face. He was causing a huge fog bank to rise, screening their activities from the cameras. The veil also offered protection from the guards circling the structure, who were now having a difficult time seeing their hands in front of their faces.

Without another word, Alucard left Seras and slowly approached two guards stationed in front of a large metal door. Creeping silently up to the nearest human, he reached the man's back without either guard noticing his presence. The unsuspecting human never knew what attacked him, as Alucard quickly pounced onto his throat and broke his neck in one quick snap. Bounding across the distance separating them, he disposed of the other guard in the same manner. Not a sound had escaped the men, giving no alarm to their other companions patrolling the area.

Seras had watched the silent killing with horror. The efficiency with which he'd disposed of the two so quickly shocked her, but watching Alucard also awoke within her a hunger. The feeling gave her a strong desire to join him in the hunt, tearing at Seras' mind. _Must be the wolf's instincts_ she said to herself, not wanting to admit that maybe they were hers.

"_Police Girl, hurry up! We don't have long before the bodies are found!" _Alucard yelled in her mind, impatiently waiting before the door.

"_Yes Master!" _she said, pushing her thoughts aside and running to his side.

Deftly grabbing the door handle between his teeth, Alucard cautiously opened the door. Hearing no alarm sound, he pushed the door open wide enough to slip through. Quietly closing the metal portal behind Seras, he inspected the area before them.

They were in a hall which led deep into the building. Few doors lined the corridor, but there were many halls branching out to different parts of the warehouse.

"_The compound is too large for us to stay together. I will take the left-hand passages, while you will search the right."_ He started jogging off toward the right-hand corridor, while Seras took the left side.

After almost an hour of searching, Alucard had stumbled upon several groups of humans but they were easily disposed of. Finally reaching the end of one of the halls, he stood before a large metal door. Looking for a handle and finding nothing but a pad on the side, he changed into mist. Finding a place between the seal and door, he slipped into the room and saw a single human male watching a large screen. Every now and then the man would press the many buttons on the consul before him.

Assuming his human shape, Alucard observed that the man didn't carry any firearms. The human was so preoccupied with what he was doing that he didn't notice the vampire walk up behind him. Before the human knew what happened, he was slammed into the machine. Alucard didn't kill the man, since he was able to operate the computer. A possible asset to both him and the Hellsing organization.

Inspecting the computers and finding them too unfamiliar for him to use, Alucard left the equipment alone. Instead, he turned to the still unconscious human slumped against the consul. Time for the payment for letting him live.

Suddenly a loud squealing noise erupted in the building and Alucard realized someone had triggered the alarm. Obviously the other guards had found their fallen comrades, and he had a limited amount of time to find what he was looking for. Kneeling beside the human, he took control of the man's mind and began to probe his memories for what he was looking for.

Meanwhile, Seras had been fortunate in avoiding all of the guards in her area. Though when she heard the alarms go off, she quickened her pace down the hall. Now that their element of surprise was gone, she didn't want to be caught by prepared troops.

Suddenly Seras sensed danger and skidded to a halt. Hearing a noise both in front and behind her, she looked around quickly for an escape route. Unfortunately, there were no doors leading off the passage. She saw movement in the corner of her eye and stiffened, preparing herself for what was coming.

Two groups of soldiers appeared at both ends of the hall, blocking the exits and trapping her. Seeing the large wolf before them, the guards aimed their guns and began shooting. Even with her superhuman speed, Seras was unable to dodge all of them. She yelped as bullets tore through her back thighs, while several more hit her in the flank. Miraculously, none penetrated her heart, though she could feel her other vital organs bleeding profusely.

Growing dizzy with the increasing loss of blood, she stared at the men before her. They were cautiously approaching Seras now, coming in for the final blow. There were smiles upon their faces, showing that they enjoyed the pain they were causing her. But she barely noticed any of this, as the smell of blood invaded her senses.

The scent of blood, both the guards and her own, was causing the hunger within her to increase tenfold. Her mind was slowly slipping, as the bloodlust overcame both reason and instinct. Her body only knew that she needed blood, and before her were several worthy candidates pulsing with the warm, delicious liquid.

Seras didn't know how much time had passed or when she'd changed back into her human form, only that she was suddenly standing among the shredded bodies of the guards. Some were still bleeding, but others had been completely drained. Their blood caked the walls and floor, creating a twisted mural of slaughter. Licking her lips, she could feel a warm substance on them and she could taste blood in her mouth. Broken images flashed through Seras mind, horrible pictures of herself ripping into their flesh and drinking from their wounds.

Seras collapsed to the ground beside the body of one of them, the blood still seeping from his torn throat. She'd killed them, all of them. She'd taken their lives without mercy, without a thought to who they were or what they meant to someone. Looking down several dark patches below her caught her attention. Watching, she saw a drop fall from her face and join the others on the ground.

Brushing her hand across her face, Seras found to her dismay that her tears were made of blood. The sight only added to her grief. She was a monster, a vampire. There was no hope for her damned soul. And worse yet, this was the life she chose when she accepted Alucard's blood.

Alucard, still in the computer room, felt her anguish through their blood bond. _She must learn_ he told himself, nonetheless wincing as he sensed her start to sob. He knew she needed warm blood. Her body had been practically screaming for the nourishment, but Seras had been too stubborn to notice.

Sitting there among her victims, Seras suddenly remembered the words Helena had spoken to her before they had parted. No regrets, no guilt, life was too short for such consuming emotions. This is the life she had chosen, and there was no turning back. Maybe Helena was trying to tell her to be strong, there was hope even after damnation. She rose confidently, if unsteadily, to her feet, though her eyes never left the body before her.

Suddenly the bite marks on Seras' neck began to burn, as if someone had placed a hot poker against her skin. She clutched her neck, as the pain increased tenfold.

Seras fell to her knees, both hands wrapped around her neck in a futile attempt to stop the burning. The pain was unbearable, and was quickly spreading throughout her body, engulfing her in heat. Her fangs were growing uncontrollably, spilling over her lips. She felt her whole body changing, transforming into a new form. She could feel her skin tightening and pulling taunt, could hear the crunching as her bones shifted inside her. Black fur tore out of her body, as something long ripped out of her tail bone.

"_Master!" _she screamed inside her head, fear and panic coating the single word.

Alucard, his objective complete, suddenly heard his child's voice screaming for him. Sensing where she was, he disappeared in a rush of darkness. Appearing where he knew her to be, he looked among the carnage for his fledgling. Movement from the center of the bloodshed caught his attention and he walked toward the dark shape laying on the ground. Kneeling beside his fledgling, Alucard was both surprised and pleased by the sight before him.

Seras was now a large hell hound, with fur as dark as the night. Her form was sleeker and smaller than Alucard's, though she had the same amount of eyes. She lay on the ground, panting for breath and utterly exhausted from her change. A small whimper escaped her lips as her master lifted her up, inspecting her new body with interest.

"You're a fast learner, Police Girl" Alucard said, grinning at her. "You're already able to take the form of your familiar. The fresh blood in your body must have given you enough strength to survive the change."

Seras' pain wracked mind barely registered his words, but they were able to calm her down. Her breathing slackened and her body relaxed in his arms. However, the vision before her eyes was still unfocused, making her slightly dizzy. Trying to struggle out of her master's grasp, she felt a spasm of pain shoot through her body.

"Hold still, Seras. Your body is too young to quickly adjust to this new form."

Alucard saying her name was enough to make Seras freeze her pain filled squirming. That was only the third time he had ever used her name, and she would have been more attentive to the moment if she hadn't been in so much pain.

"Now for the final test, Police Girl. Change back" Alucard ordered, laying her back on the ground and rising to his feet.

"_I...I can't. My whole body feels like it's on fire."_

"You can and you will" he said in a commanding voice.

Seras took a deep breath and began to imagine her human body. As soon as her body began to morph back, she was immediately hit by another blast of pain, though less severe than the first time she'd changed.

Alucard watched with not a little pride as Seras transformed into her original form. For a vampire so young to have been able to call forth their familiar was rare indeed. Few elder vampires even knew of familiars, much less could call them forth.

Finally back to her human form, Seras eyes grew heavy. She was so tired, and the knowledge that Alucard was nearby gave her comfort. The hunger she'd been battling and the strain of her transformation was too much. She lost consciousness.

Alucard threw his coat over his fledgling and picked up her limp body, ignoring the corpses around them. Seras had torn the soldiers' bodies apart so badly, he didn't have to worry about them becoming ghouls.

Transporting to Integra's office, he quickly told her about the factory and one remaining human. However, he made no mention of his mind search nor Seras' condition. Then they traveled to their apartment, Alucard gently placing his child on her bed. Sitting down in one of the room's chairs, he settled down to once more watch over her.


	24. Control

A/N: Wow, chapter twenty-four and I'm still writing. Hunh. And to Dhampeal, not much romantic goo yet but it'll come. Anyway, thanks to my readers and reviewers!

_Control brings survival,_

_Leading to victory._

When Seras awoke, she still felt exhausted. Looking around the room, she found Alucard sitting in one of the chairs. He was staring at her intently, and her groggy mind wondered why. Lifting herself up, she noticed that her master's coat had been wrapped around her. She flung the large jacket off herself, and stretched her sore limbs. Turning once more to Alucard, she saw his face filled with amusement, which only meant bad news for her.

Seras then saw the state of her clothing. They were in shreds, with large patches entirely ripped away. And they were revealing much more than she wanted to show. With a small 'eep', she grabbed the coat and pulled the cloth back over herself.

"What are you doing in my room!" Seras almost screamed, nearly falling off the bed in a desperate attempt to move as far away from his prying eyes as possible. Meanwhile, her mind tried not to think of how the coat had gotten wrapped around her in the first place.

"Well, you are borrowing my coat" Alucard said, rising and approaching the bed. "And now, I would like it back."

Seras clutched the coat closer to her, while her eyes glared at him. She could see the mischievous glint in his eyes, making her distrust his intentions.

"Don't you dare!" she scolded, tightening her grip on the coat. She inwardly sighed with relief when he halted his advances, though there was still unease at the back of her mind.

"You don't intend to stay in bed all night, do you Police Girl? We have some training to do."

"What kind of training?" she asked suspiciously. Seras would have been eager to learn a new technique, but Alucard's method of teaching was slightly dangerous. And more often than not bordering on life threatening.

"Survival" he said, grinning at her. "You're able use your powers, but not control them. You will now learn, with me as your sparring partner."

_I'm going to die _she thought with certainty.

"I will tell Integra that we will be preoccupied for the night. Meanwhile, I suggest you clean yourself up. There is still dried blood in your hair." As Seras gave him a scathing glare, he disappeared into darkness.

Seras slowly slid off the bed, careful to make sure Alucard was really gone. Finding him to have truly left, she sprinted into the shower. The young vampire had the feeling her master would make an appearance at the worst possible time if she didn't hurry.

Cleansing her body, Seras shivered slightly as the cold blood was washed off. She watched the remaining water flow down the drain, along with the red dye which had come from her. All recalled the previous night's carnage, when she'd so brutally killed the guards. The whole episode almost seemed like one horrific nightmare, but the red liquid reminded her otherwise.

_Snap out of it_ she thought, shaking her head from side to side. _Nothing will come out of those thoughts_. Seras decided to focus instead on the upcoming training, especially with Alucard as her sparring partner.

Stepping out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, she carried Alucard's coat in her arms. Seras wasn't sure what to wear, considering her old outfit had completely fallen apart when she'd taken the clothing off before showering. Her thoughts didn't get very far, as a swirling darkness suddenly appeared in the center of her bedroom. Her master's form soon followed.

"I've brought your toy, Police Girl" Alucard said, holding up her Harkonnen with one hand. His eyes roamed to what she now wore and Seras blushed under his gaze, wishing she had more than just the towel on.

"I think we shall need to acquire you some new clothes, Police Girl" Alucard said, chuckling and setting the large weapon against one of the walls. "My coat doesn't fit you so well, and we certainly can't have you training in such an outfit. As much as I like your new style, the distraction might get us both killed."

"You find this very humorous, don't you Master?" Seras asked dryly, not amused by his sense of humor.

"Very. Now, cover yourself in my coat and we'll find you a new outfit."

By Seras holding on to Alucard, both were transported to the nearest mall via darkness. They appeared near a seldom used entrance, in order not to be seen.

Breaking away from her grasp on her master's cloths, Seras began to walk toward the entrance. But the fledgling stopped when she didn't hear Alucard's boots resounding behind her. Turning, she noticed that Alucard was not following. He still stood where they had appeared.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked curiously.

"I think not. With so many humans around, I may become careless." He gave her a wide grin, showing one of his fangs.

Getting his point, Seras merely shrugged and took the money offered to her. Walking into the mall, she searched the area for a suitable clothing store. As she wandered around the mall, she began to wonder about her master's behavior. Alucard had little restraint around humans, but then why should he? He was a vampire, above the laws of men and beholding to no one. She wondered how long he'd been living, having no connections nor anyone to talk to. _Must be lonely _she thought.

She was rudely shoved out her thoughts by a person brushing past her, nearly knocking her down with his shoulder. Regaining her balance, she quickly looked around for who had pushed her, but the crowds were becoming thick with shoppers. The evening had only just began, so the after-school kids and now off work adults were just beginning to crowd the area. Looking around at the people surrounding her, she was sharply reminded of her own hunger.

Seras began to wonder how she would get tonight's blood, especially since their supply was coming from Hellsing. Alucard would be more than willing to take any person who came along, but she wouldn't take another life. Last night still haunted her mind.

After a few more minutes of walking, Seras found a store which looked promising. Searching their stock, she found several different outfits to try on. Walking into one of the dressing rooms, she changed into a fashionable design. As she looked into the mirror on the wall, she noticed that the clothing covered barely more than her torn outfit. _Maybe not such a good choice to wear around Alucard _she thought.

Suddenly Seras noticed a mist enter her small stall. With growing alarm she watched the vapor shift into the form of a tall man. Then she was face to face with her master, who was wearing a very pleased smile on his face.

"Master!" she yelped, her back slamming into a corner of the dressing room. "I thought you were staying outside!"

"I got tired of waiting for you. Nice outfit" he said, commenting on the skimpy clothing she was now wearing.

"You perverted vampire! Can't you control yourself for one single night!" she exclaimed. Seras' face grew red with anger and embarrassment. Before she had time to think, her fist shot out. The blow would have connected with Alucard's chin, had he not stopped her hand with his.

"Calm down Police Girl. You're causing quite a scene. If you're so self-conscious about your figure, then I'll continue to wait outside." With that, he vanished once again, leaving a very frustrated Seras.

A few moments later, Seras stalked out of the changing room, fully dressed in the new outfit she'd chosen. A pair of dark jeans and a short sleeved black shirt seemed ideal for the new life she was leading. Suddenly she noticed everyone in the store gaping at her, and realized they must have all thought she had been yelling to herself. The young vampire's pale face turned red in embarrassment with all the attention. She walked quickly to the checkout counter.

"I'll take this outfit."

After paying for her purchase, she found Alucard once more outside the mall entrance. Approaching him, Seras noticed with some annoyance that he still wore the amused smile on his face.

"What now, Master?" Seras asked, suddenly remembering the training Alucard had promised.

Without a word, her master grabbed her wrist and they became engulfed in darkness once again. When they had arrived at their destination and the dark mist had parted, Seras looked around. She saw that they had transported to an older section of London, where the cobblestone roads twisted and turned around the oddly assorted buildings.

"The older streets of London are similar to a maze, making them perfect training ground. I'll give you ten minutes."

"Ten minutes? For what?" Seras asked, obviously confused.

"For you to run" Alucard said complacently. His grin widened as he watched Seras' eyes grow large with understanding, and fear.

"You're hunting me!" she exclaimed. The idea of being hunted by her master was more than a little terrifying to her, especially since he had the advantage of age and experience on his side.

"You had better hurry. Only nine minutes left."

Realizing that he was serious, Seras quickly transformed into a wolf and sprinted off into the empty streets. Running along the narrow paths, she looked at her surroundings and tried to memorize any particular landmarks. If not careful, she could easily lose her way and end up in the same place she started. Watching the scenery fly by, a thought suddenly came to her mind, one which caused her to skid to a halt.

She had forgotten to ask what would happen if she lost the hunting exercise.

"_Time's up, Police Girl."_

Alucard's voice made her jump, but she quickly realized he was merely speaking in her mind. Now that the training had started, it was too late to ask. Seras could only hope her master kept the training within healthy boundaries.

Jumping to a nearby rooftop, she was met with an unpleasant sight. Standing before her was Alucard, gun in hand and apparently prepared for battle. _How did he get here so fast? _she thought with frustration, and not a little fear. Seras quickly changed back into human form, preparing for what was to come.

The young vampire had remembered where she'd seen this stance before, when he'd fought the crazy priest. And the gun in his hand was going to be a problem, especially when Seras remembered with dismay that her Harkonnen was still in their hotel room. She now had not only the disadvantage of little experience, but also of weaponry.

"Don't be so worried, Police Girl" Alucard asked, having broken through the flimsy barrier she'd put around her thoughts. "This gun has a single silver bullet in the clip. Dodge the bullet, and the gun is useless."

"Riiiight..." Seras muttered, knowing the gun wasn't the only weapon he had. She focused her eyes on watching the black gun's barrel, trying to predict where he would shoot. She could only put her trust in her new vampiric speed if she wanted to survive this training session.

In a split second, Seras saw Alucard squeeze the trigger. The bullet exited the barrel as if in slow motion, and she easily stepped aside to the right. The silver metal passed harmlessly by her, colliding with the wall of the building behind the young vampire.

Seras smiled, proud that she had managed to dodge the bullet. But her joy quickly turned to surprise when another bullet grazed her cheek. Looking at Alucard, she saw he now held a large silver gun in his other hand. The words Hellsing Arms 454 Casull were written upon the sides of the barrel.

"What is that!" Seras asked, pointing to the new weapon Alucard held.

"A gift from Walter. He thought this would be useful for the lesser vampires and ghouls. And the clip is full." Alucard added, his grin widening with amusement. He was greatly enjoying his new toy.

_A second gun with a full clip of silver bullets, this is not good_ Seras thought. She decided the best course of action would be to take to the sky. Transforming into a large flock of bats, she launched into the air.

Unfortunately for the fledgling vampire, her master followed suit. The two collided in the air, scratching and tearing at each other. People strolling the street below marveled at the sight of so many bats, all of whom appeared to be battling against each other.

Seras felt herself slowly losing the battle, as her attacks became less organized and weaker in power. With the last of her remaining strength the young vampire managed to rally her bats. She quickly ordered them to line up with wingtips barely touching and several bats deep. Then she charged Alucard's group. The organized flanking caused many of her master's bats to scatter, leaving an opening for her to pass through. Seras was now free of the fight, but she was exhausted and several of her wings were injured.

The young vampire flew as far as her strength would hold, all the while searching for a suitable place to land. Realizing she couldn't fly any farther in her condition, she dove into the closest abandoned house. There she quickly changed into her original form and slumped against the nearest wall. She couldn't tell if her master had managed to follow her or not.

Sitting there, among the dust and rot of the old building, Seras could hear every movement around her. Every creaking board, every drip from a leaking pipe resounding throughout the otherwise silent domain. Though she didn't need the air, she was breathing in quick intakes.

She was reminded of the first time she'd entered Alucard's castle, after watching him murder the human. The same fear now crept up her spine, the sense of being stalked by something which you couldn't see. He was here, she could sense him watching her.

"Seras" a voice whispered directly behind her.

With a piercing scream, Seras suddenly felt herself fall through the floor.

From chairs to ceilings, Seras fell through everything within her touch. Her progression was suddenly halted by Alucard catching her.

"Such little control" Alucard scolded. He leaned down and nuzzled her hair, an unusual attempt to comfort the shaking girl he held.

"What...! How did I do that!" Seras asked through chattering teeth.

"You can now move through walls, Police Girl" he said, grinning at her. "And quite the strategy you used, manipulating your bats to create a moving wall."

His smile soothed any doubts lingering in Seras' mind concerning whether he meant to kill her or not. Though her master's uncharacteristic concern for her mental state, which he had helped to cause, did confuse the fledgling.

Giving a shy smile in return, Seras climbed out of his arms to stand before him. Not only did her master seemed pleased with her, but she now had a new ability to use.

"The night is waning. We'll continue your training tomorrow evening."


	25. Abilities

A/N: I have a question for the readers, does anyone want me to name the chapters? Just for convenience? Thanks for reviewing again, anime z0mbie! And to everyone else, thanks for reading this far!

_Abilities come from the heart, _

_From the need to improve._

The next evening Seras awoke feeling drained. She slowly rolled out of bed, stretching her aching limbs as she stood up. Shuffling to the main room of the suite, her feet felt as if they were made of lead.

As usual, she found that Alucard had risen before her. Her master was standing by one of the large windows, the heavy curtains now pulled back. His head was slightly tilted upward, telling Seras that he was looking at the waxing moon. She wondered if he ever slept, though where he would find the energy to stay awake was a mystery to her. He also seemed to have a fascination with the moon, staring at the pale orb often.

Walking to the center of the room, she settled herself down on one of the couches. Just as she was getting comfortable, her stomach rumbled loudly. The noise echoed throughout the silent apartment, making Seras wish she had stayed in bed a little longer. As in the rest of the night.

Alucard turned away from the window, a smile on his face. Seras blushed at her body's sudden outburst, as her master stared amusingly at her. She was noticing for the first time the gnawing hunger in her stomach, reminding her that she hadn't had any blood for almost two nights. Seras marveled at how Alucard handled the hunger. He'd never shown any signs of losing restraint, even during their journey to England.

"Hungry, Police Girl?" he asked amusingly.

"Yes" she answered quietly, embarrassed by his question. "But where will we get our blood, Master?" Seras asked nervously. There were very few options for them to choose from.

"Shall we resume your training?" Alucard said, not seeming to hear her question. "I think tonight we'll try hunting of a different sort."

"What sort of hunting are we doing?" Seras asked suspiciously.

"Humans" Alucard answered, a large grin growing on his face. "The tracking will solve both problems, your lack of training and the hunger growing in your stomach."

"No" Seras said firmly, while rising from the couch. "I won't kill anyone else. There must be some other w."

"Silence!"

The harshness of Alucard's tone snapped Seras to attention. He'd never before been so forceful, but Alucard was adamant about this lesson. He marched up to Seras, towering over her small frame. She thought he meant to strike her, but he merely continued to speak.

"There is no other way! We live in death and we kill to survive!" _I've been too lenient with her_ Alucard thought to himself, as he watched Seras' face slump under his barrage of words. "We will drink tonight, understood?"

"Yes sir" Seras said obediently. Now was not the time to argue with him. And deep down, she knew he was right. There was no other way to live, especially when they returned to Romania. There were no blood banks, nor a Hellsing organization, from which to obtain a steady supply of donated blood.

Traveling through the London streets in their human forms, Seras still dreaded the coming "necessity" more than anything in her life. Of course, what was anything she'd done in her brief existence compared to the nightly atrocities she would now willingly commit as a vampire? Out of protest, she followed him from a distance, only keeping him within sight. After some minutes of scouring the city, Alucard suddenly stopped atop a small six story building.

Seras cautiously settled next to Alucard, looking down at what he was staring at. The fledgling shuddered when she realized he was observing a young couple, walking arm in arm down a dark street. Apparently these two were who they were to kill. _No, murder_ she thought, disgusted with her body's source of nourishment. She once more felt regret for her decision to become a vampire.

"_Don't hesitate, or your prey will become aware of your presence."_

Seras looked sharply at her master. He thought of the humans only as cattle, nothing more than someone to feed off of.

Helena's words once more rang through her head, about not regretting her choice and living her new life to the fullest. The child vampire had given her wise advice, but in her gloomy state, Seras began to doubt whether she could follow through with what she was telling her. In order to survive as a vampire, she'd be giving up her conscious to feed. Her previous attack on humans had been a form of self-protection, but tonight was entirely different. She was purposefully hunting out humans to end their lives, without a thought to whom they were or what they meant to others.

Alucard's sudden shifting startled Seras out of her thoughts. She could feel him tense up, preparing to strike. She tried to copy his gestures, pushing all unnecessary thought aside. To commit murder was horrible, but to fail her master would be far worse.

In a split second, Alucard launched off the building, followed closely by Seras. She could see he was going for the girl, so she aimed her descent toward the boy. The pair never knew what had grabbed them until the instinct to flee was useless. Both vampires had easily taken hold of their shoulders, trapping them to their inevitable fate.

While Alucard immediately sank his fangs into his victim's neck, Seras stood for a moment, staring at the boy she held. He was no older than herself, with the same color of eyes she had once been proud to own. But her hunger would not allow her a longer look, as she could feel his veins pulsing beneath her fingers. He squirmed furiously under her steel grip, making her mind race with pleasure for the power she held over the helpless human.

Before Seras knew what was happening, she had sunk her fangs into his throat. The warm taste of blood flooded into her mouth, making her bite down harder to retrieve more of the precious fluid. The man shivered under her grasp, only adding to the ecstacy of the moment.

Not a drop escaped her waiting lips as the boy's blood flowed faster from the growing wounds. The human's body became limp under her hands, and Seras could feel his breathing slow. Instinctively, she pulled her mouth away from his throat as his heart stopped completely. Letting go of him, the boy's now lifeless body slipped to the cold pavement with a dull thud. The realization of what she'd done came slowly, and she had a difficult time keeping back the tears which threatened to swallow her.

Hearing Alucard do the same with the girl's body, she turned to look at him. To her amazement, his eyes were already upon her, and because his glasses had slipped down the bridge of his nose, Seras was able to see his eyes.

Alucard was staring at her strangely, the look in his eyes one she'd never seen before. Noticing that he'd caught Seras' attention, his expression quickly changed. His now customary frown appeared, and his eyes held scorn as he continued to stare at her.

Two bullets to the heads of the couple finished their business there.

"We'll see what aim you have." Alucard rather roughly grabbed her shoulder, transporting them away from the alleyway and out into the countryside.

Reaching their destination, the master vampire let go of Seras quickly. The young vampire looked around at the meadow they now stood in. Trees lined the edges of the tall grass, creating a natural border. Three large oaks were situated in the middle of the field, with a sloping hillside in the background.

Seras gazed emotionlessly at the peaceful landscape, still lost in the reality of what she'd just done. Suddenly a metal object was practically shoved into her face. She realized the object was a hand pistol, and Alucard was holding it out for her to take. She tentatively reached out and grasped the hilt, then snatched the weapon from him quickly.

Looking at the gun she now held, Seras recognized the make as having come from the Hellsing Organization. She assumed Alucard must have taken the weapon on their previous visit, with little intent on returning the item.

"Now, Police Girl, aim for the largest tree and fire" he ordered, pointing to the oak in the middle.

"Yes Master" Sera answered mechanically, leveling the pistol at the pointed target.

She fired until the clip was empty, managing to hit the center tree about a quarter of the shots. Not a bad score at the police academy, but Alucard was less than impressed. He pulled out his own large, black handgun and pointed at the targets.

"Shoot like you have a third eye in your forehead. Like this." In quick succession, he fired off his round, hitting the center of the left tree perfectly every time. "Now, try shooting the oak on the right."

Seras, given another clip by Alucard, pointed her barrel at the still unscathed tree. She imagined what her master had said, focusing her vision on the large oak. Suddenly the world of darkness became focused and she could see everything, from the blades of grass around the base of the tree to the bugs crawling on the bark. Shooting rapidly, she successfully hit the target with pinpoint accuracy, and incredible speed.

"Wow! I did it!" she said with not a little pride. Maybe it wasn't so bad being a vampire, especially if she was this good. She turned to Alucard to ask what to do next, when she noticed the frown had disappeared. Now a look of concentration, and maybe a little confusion, pervaded his face.

"We have company. Now's the time to test your abilities." His psychotic grin appeared, warning Seras that a battle was brewing. And the kind he enjoyed would not be easy, nor safe.

Seras looked around at the quiet scenery, not seeing a soul, much less an enemy. She would have wondered if Alucard was imagining enemies, but knew better than to question his judgement. But maybe could she tell?

"But I don't see anyone, Master" she said quietly, preparing for her master to lash out at her apparent lack of skills. She was surprised when Alucard calmly, almost gently, answered her.

"Use your senses, Police Girl."

Seras looked at her master, and was disappointed to see he wasn't paying any attention to her. His mind seemed preoccupied with something else, though with what she couldn't hope to fathom.

She did as he said, opening her mind to the area around her. Doing so, Seras immediately recognized the auras of two beings, not more than a few hundred feet from them. They were moving inhumanly fast toward them, possibly with the purpose of catching her master and her off guard. They underestimated their abilities.


	26. Adapt

A/N: Chapter twenty-six and I'm running out of ways to thank everyone lol. This chapter's mostly a fight scene, so it's more of a filler. Thanks everyone!

_Adapt to the challenges in life, _

_Or die by giving up._

As the two people entered the clearing, Seras was surprised to see that the pair consisted of a man and woman. Looking at their appearance, she noticed immediately that their facial features were similar to the first Freak she had battled. But there was a different air about them. One she didn't like at all.

The air around them reminded her of a house she'd entered as a police officer. A family had been brutally murdered, there was no reason given even by the murderer himself. They were only a normal family, with parents and a few children. But the pervading atmosphere around the house was one of death, naked and brutal. These were the vibes she felt now, from the two people before her.

"Well, well" Alucard said, apparently not taken by their normal enough appearance. "Two more dogs. Come to have some fun, Freaks?"

Seras turned her head quickly, and noticed for the first time the color of their eyes. They had the same color discoloration as the others, showing the truth in what her master had called them.

The man stepped forward at being called a dog, but his partner held him back. Facing her, she merely shook her head no. He grudgingly stopped his forward progress, though continued to scowl at Alucard.

"Fine" the man said, directing his words toward his companion. "I guess we may as well have a spot of fun with 'em before our work. But remember, can't let 'em leave here alive or we're finished."

The woman turned toward Alucard, and motioned for him to follow her. He grinned back at her and willingly complied, eager for some fun of his own.

"Then I guess I get the girl. You always do have more fun."

Seras watched their one-sided conversation in disbelief. To her they appeared to be picking which person to do battle with, which she realized was exactly true. Especially when the man came toward her, while the woman moved farther off with Alucard. Each was giving the other room enough to fight, so neither would interfere with the other.

The man looked at her closely, sizing her up. His widening grin only furthered to annoy Seras, who was not in the mood to be checked out by anyone, much less a Freak. He straightened the jacket he wore, obviously preparing himself for what he considered 'business'.

"Hello, little girl. My, you're sweet lookin'." He gave her a cocky smile, showing off a pair of fangs.

Seras crouched low to the ground, preparing for the combat. _Great, another smart ass_ she thought disgustingly, wondering if all Freaks had an attitude problem. But at least the battle would be a grateful distraction from her tumultuous thoughts, which were still echoing in the back of her mind.

"_Pay attention to your opponent, Police Girl. Don't underestimate him because of his attitude."_

"_I know"_ she answered, irritated by her master's interference. He could distract her more than her thoughts.

"Oh, you wanna play?" the vampire chuckled, amused by her challenging pose. "Fine by me. Besides, you killed my little brother, and I always pay debts."

_Brother? _Seras thought, confirming her earlier notice to their resemblance._ No wonder I was reminded of the first Freak. _Her wandering thoughts caused her to be off guard for his attack. The Freak, using the ground as leverage, kicked off with his feet and slamming into her stomach. She was launched back to the very edge of the clearing, the force of the blow also knocking her senses askew.

Before she could counterattack, the man was standing in front of her and Seras suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Looking down, she realized there was a blade embedded in her stomach. The large knife had torn a huge gash around the penetration area, and she could feel the end lodged against the back of her spine. She grabbed the hilt and slowly removed the weapon from herself, as the maniacal Freak watched on. He showed no signs of stopping her, but rather he was enjoying ever bit of pain he caused her.

When the blade was completely removed, Seras stared in surprise at the weapon she held. She almost thought she was holding Anderson's weapon. The crooked blade, the long misshaped handle, only the length and point of the knife differed. The design was so similar to the one's the priest had used, she wondered if the man before her had known the mad Catholic.

But Seras noticed with disgust the major difference between the blades. The Freak had made the points of his knives blunt, creating a device of torture. The stabbing was harder to perform for the one wielding the weapon, but when they succeeded in penetrating the body, the pain would be more severe for the victim than if the end was sharp.

Shaking the clustered thoughts from her mind and focusing on the battle, she barely managed to dodge another fierce blow. The knife only managed to slice her arm, but the blade's edge stung her skin on contact. She yelped in pain and dropped the blade she had been inspecting, glaring at the man as he laughed in delight.

"A fun little game Ah've made up. Only half of my blades are made of silver, and my enemies never know which one they should dodge the quickest. Makes 'em more afraid." The last few words were barely above a whisper, making her shiver in their maliciousness.

_Come on Seras_ she scolded herself. _You have to pay attention, or you're going to die quick. _But the wounds she'd already taken were making her movements lag, and she could only watch as he approached her. He slowly removed two more blades from his coat, and she wondered which had been made from silver.

"What's wrong, love? Not tired already, are ye?" He laughed out as he closed the short distance separating them.

_I wish I had my gun_ she thought desperately, remembering the large hand cannon given to her by Walter. She'd left the weapon in her room, and there was no way of retrieving the much needed tool now.

Suddenly, she was startled to see a black vortex appear beside her. The hole was only a few feet round, nothing more than a shadow in the dark. She recognized the darkness as one similar to what Alucard used to transport them. She cautiously slipped her hand into the darkness and felt a large metal object on the other side. Finding a grip on the mysterious article, she quickly pulled it through the opening.

A gasp escaped Seras' lips as she stared at what now lay by her side. Her Harkonnen cannon. Her silent plea had been answered, and somehow she'd been able to open a dark gate to her room. She turned gratefully to the rapidly shrinking black hole, and smiled to herself at her accomplishment. But facing the Freak once again, her smile turned to a cold frown, and she leveled her hand cannon in his direction.

The appearance of the dark portal surprised the Freak as much as Seras, and he cut his laughter short as he watched the fledgling vampire place her hand into the swirling blackness. He watched shocked as she had pulled what appeared to be a large tank cannon out of the inky darkness. His fear was justified as she pointed the massive barrel in his direction. Because of his eagerness, he was now standing only a few feet away from her position.

Seras smirked as she watched the growing fear in the Freak's eyes, and she unhesitatingly fired the cannon. The gun's concussion made her slide back several feet, but her aim was true. The shell hit the Freak squarely in the stomach

She watched as he slowly turned to dust, the slightest breeze taking his ashes away. Her battle was over, and the outcome had been a little too indecisive for her comfort.

Meanwhile, Alucard and the woman were facing off.

"Will you give me a challenge, pathetic fake? The others before are not even worth mentioning. Especially the first." He grinned, knowing the woman would take offense. The angrier she was, the easier she would be dealt with.

The woman's eyes narrowed at the mention of her brother, the only signs of emotion she had shown yet. She reached both hands behind her, apparently reaching for something. Bringing them back into view revealed two long, silver whips.

The whips lashed quickly, slicing a sizeable hole into Alucard's left side. He hissed as the tips sliced into his skin, and jumped back in surprise.

"Silver tipped." He clutched his side in an attempt to stamp the bleeding. "So you do have some tricks of your own." He realized his taunting would be useless against the woman in front of him, who appeared to have the ability to set aside all emotions in battle. Only skill would determine who would win this fight.

The woman watched Alucard's suffering mutely, merely grinning at his words. Her only reply was to pull the whips back for another pass. However, Alucard knew what to expect from the next attack, and was able to easily avoid the whistling tips. However, he learned too late that the entirety of both whips had been dipped in a flexible casing of silver. His back was scorched and his coat was in smoking ribbons.

Alucard smiled to himself when he felt Seras' portal open. Her battle would end soon, and he had no doubt as to who would be the victor. Well then, he couldn't let his fledgling destroy her combatant before him, now could he?

Besides, Alucard realized he needed to finish this quick, or there would be little left of his body. But the woman was keeping quite a distance between them, meaning he couldn't get close enough to attack. Watching the woman circle him, he guessed the long range attacks were an indication of weakness in close combat.

There was only one thing he could think of doing.

On the next pass, Alucard stood still and watched the silver rope come whistling toward him. At the last moment before impact, he grabbed the end of the whip. Immediately, the silver burnt his hands beyond recognition, but he held on. The woman, surprised by his apparent lack of intelligence, tried to pull them back, but he only grabbed more of the whip's length. Alucard started walking slowly toward her, grabbing onto more whip as he approached.

Realizing what his plan was, the Freak lashed out with her twin weapon, trying to make Alucard release his grip on the other. But having taken control over one, he was able to dodge the other with ease.

Then an idea struck him through his pain wracked mind, and he waited while she flung the whip back for another try at dislodging him. He grabbed onto the second rope, and now held both in his burning hands. With his strength quickly ebbing away, he pulled both whips as hard as he could toward him. The Freak, foolishly refusing to release her grip, went sailing toward the trees surrounding the meadow. She slammed into a large oak, losing consciousness momentarily.

Alucard walked up to the woman and grabbed her by the neck. The Freak awoke and immediately began squirming under his grip, but she could not break free from the master vampire's steel grasp. Alucard's eyes locked with hers, and the female vampire suddenly quieted. Seras, her battle now over, watched the interaction with curiosity. She was also confused as to exactly what her master was doing, since he hadn't yet taught her this trick.

Alucard's eyes widened in amazement as he found the information he was looking for, but his emotions quickly turned to amusement. Finally finished with his mind probing, he broke eye contact with the woman. He waited as she slowly regained control of her mind, her eyes widening in horror at what Alucard had done to her.

"You were a worthy opponent. For that, I'll give you a quick death." He took her head in between his hands, and with one push, crushed her skull.

"Master, what did you do to her?" Seras asked, cautiously walking up to the elder vampire.

"Mind reading, a technique far above your level of skill."

Then Alucard turned to her, and Seras saw that the strange look from earlier had returned in his eyes as he gazed at her. However, this time he took no pains to cover the mysterious emotion, rather, he just stood like that for a long moment. Seras began to squirm under his steady gaze, wondering if the look meant she'd failed him once again.

Seras was somewhat alarmed as she watched Alucard walk up to her. She wasn't sure what his intentions were, but the fledgling vampire could do little to stop him if he meant to hurt her. Facing her, he leaned down, making them at eye level. He brazenly licked a spot of blood of her face, surprising her enough to jerk back. Alucard merely grinned and gently grabbed her elbow. Then she understood what he was trying to say.

"_Well done, Police Girl."_ With that simple gesture, she knew all was forgiven for her outburst earlier, and she blushed at the acknowledgment. Seras gently leaned against her master as he transported them back to their room for a peaceful, and well deserved, rest.


	27. Hidden

A/N: Hmm, not much to say...guess the chapter will speak for itself. Thanks to everyone!

_Hidden motives by those close to you_

_Shield you from pain._

Seras awoke the next night feeling depressed, and knew immediately the reason why. Alucard had forgiven her...but could she forgive herself? The boy had been merely a boy, after all. His only mistake had been going into the wrong alley that night.

Seras' eyes shifted to her cannon nestled once more against the wall. She imagined the sight of her hand reaching out from nowhere and snatching the absurdly large weapon must have been hilarious. Out of curiosity, she tried to create another vortex. Her pride swelled as she watched the dark portal slowly open, though she had no idea where the door led to.

Peaking her head in, Seras noticed with a start that she was in her master's bedroom. The coffin they had traveled in lay on the floor beside the bed, which she noticed was slightly larger than hers. Alucard had placed the coffin in his bedroom to keep the large box out of sight of any intruding hotel staff. She quickly pulled her head back into her bedroom, and decided she needed to practice her directional skills for that technique.

Seras wandered out of her room and was not surprised to find Alucard already waiting for her. She marveled how he could stand existing so long with such atrocities he committed. But then, he'd had longer to adjust than she, being God knew how old. Thinking more thoroughly, that question was one she had yet to ask him, among the many others.

Alucard didn't appear to notice her depressed state, only resting his eyes on her now ruined attire. She still hadn't learned how to repair clothes, and there was some light blood stains which had refused to come clean. But fortunately for Seras, the battle from last night had not damaged enough vital areas to make the outfit unusable.

Though there were still definite bodily evidences of a heavy battle on Seras' body. Most of the wounds she'd taken had disappeared, but the cuts received from the silver weapon were slightly visible. She hoped the thin scars would eventually disappear, but with her luck she highly doubted her wish would come true.

Facing her master, Seras scowled at his probing eyes. Sometimes she wished she could read his mind, just to see what filthy thoughts he was having about her. But then again, maybe she didn't want to know.

"I may be gone for the entire night, Police Girl" Alucard said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Amuse yourself however you want."

"Where are you going, Master?" Seras asked curiously. She was surprised he was delaying her training, since he'd been so adamant for her to learn before.

"Out. That's all you need to know."

Seras scowled, but didn't push the matter further. When Alucard was in his secretive mood, he wasn't willing to tell even the devil what he knew. Without another word to her, the elder vampire vanished in a swirl of darkness. And Seras was left alone to do what she wanted.

Seras walked onto the balcony attached to the suite, thinking of what she could do with her short time of freedom. Surprisingly, the young vampire had several options in mind. She could explore the many streets of London, practice her skills on the outskirts of the city, or just stay in the apartment and vegetate on the couch.

In the end, Seras decided to see Helena. She wanted to ask the child vampire what she knew about Alucard. Besides, who else did she have to talk to?

Pondering over the previous visit, she figured she could probably find her way to Helena's home without her master's help. After all, how many buildings had small mansions on their rooftops?

Smoothly transforming into the form of a wolf, Seras quickly plodded off, using her nose as an extra precaution. She didn't want to get lost and be caught out in the daylight, especially since the young fledgling had no idea what would happen to her exposed body.

Leaping from rooftop to rooftop in order to avoid notice, Seras was struck with an interesting idea. She thought about the black vortexes she'd created the night before and earlier this evening. Now was as good a time as any to practice her control.

Stopping on top of a level roof, she changed back to her normal form. Relaxing as much as she could, Seras concentrated on wanting to be at Helena's abode. Before she knew what was happening, a darkness had swallowed her and she was suddenly falling. With a loud thud and a hard bounce, she found herself in front of the strange house belonging to the child vampire.

_Not bad for the third try_ she thought, looking around herself proudly. _Though the landing could have been better_ she added, standing and rubbing her now bruised backside. Staring ahead of her, Seras looked at the imposing doors of the small mansion nervously. She wasn't sure if visiting the non solicitous child vampire was the wisest decision she'd ever made, but there so many questions about her master that she wanted answered. And Alucard was definitely not going to be the person to answer questions about his past.

Approaching the strange building, she reached up a shaking hand to one of the large wooden doors. Knocking softly enough for only vampire ears to hear, Seras nearly jumped when they opened of their own accord. The fledgling peeked her head into the darkness beyond the threshold, seeking any sign of life; or unlife.

Seeing no one, she cautiously stepped into the silent house. The doors slammed shut behind her, causing a small squeak to escape her lips. _Calm down Seras_ she told herself, trying to still her erratic, and pointless, breathing. Regaining some of her composure, she began walking farther into the structure, peering curiously at the still surprisingly massive amount of books.

Seras found Helena in the largest book-littered room, sitting in the plush Victorian chair. She seemed absorbed in the book she held, and didn't raise her head when Seras entered the room. The fledgling idly wondered if the child vampire ever left her home.

"Hello, child. What did you wish to ask me?" Helena suddenly questioned from behind her book, making Seras jump in surprise. Oddly, she didn't seem surprised to see Seras, as she set the book she'd been reading down on a table beside her chair. In fact, she seemed amused by the young vampire's presence in her home, turning toward the fledgling with a small smile playing upon her eternally childish face.

Suddenly, all the questions Seras wanted to ask about her master seemed frivolous. Why would Helena want to deal with such foolish questions, especially from a fledgling? But she had asked Seras what her questions were, though how she had known what her purpose was here was a mystery. Perhaps the child vampire had read her mind, which meant more practice for the fledgling vampire.

"Yes, I can read your mind" Helena said, answering her thoughts. The child vampire suddenly rose from her chair and almost drifted toward Seras, her movements were so fluid. She pressed her small hands against the servant vampire's stomach, closing her eyes in concentration.

Seras stood there wonderingly, not sure what she was doing. She was about to question Helena's actions when the elder vampire removed her hands from the young vampire's body.

"I am sorry child, but I cannot answer your questions about your master. He must be the one to tell you, not I."

Seras' face fell as she heard those words, making her once more regret coming to see Helena. "I-I'm sorry for bothering you, then" she stuttered, turning her back as if to go. The action was more to hide the tears in her eyes than for her to leave the mansion.

"But I believe you have some questions about yourself" Helena said, giving her back a calculating but kind stare. "The human male you killed, you still cannot forgive your nature."

"What I did wasn't right" Seras answered, not turning around. She knew Alucard would be ashamed of how she felt, and but she needed to tell her feelings to someone. And Helena seemed to care, judging by the kindness in her voice. "He hadn't threatened me, there was no reason to kill him."

Helena's smile faded as she heard Seras' words. She could feel the strong emotions radiating from the young vampire before her, and the anguish in every word she spoke. Alucard's fledgling certainly had power, that much she had learned from her search into her body. But her mind was fragile, like glass, sitting alone without any protection; ready to be broken at the first stone throw.

"You are a vampire, child. We have no other way to live."

"But I...I killed an innocent human. Willingly. I knew it was wrong, but I still did it. And I liked it. I murdered him, and I enjoyed doing it" she whispered, feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

Helena's smile returned as Seras finished speaking, realizing what bothered the fledgling so much. Not the killing, but whom she had killed. An innocent.

"I know the two you speak of" Helena said slowly, watching Seras's reaction. Alucard had indeed changed since she'd last seen him.

"You do?" Seras asked, understandingly amazed.

"Seras" Helena said, taking the fledglings hands into her own. "Those two you killed last night were not innocents. The police had been tracking them down for the last few months. They had murdered several families merely to satisfy their own enjoyments. Alucard knew this, yet chose not to tell you and picked one of them to be your first kill."

Seras couldn't believe what she was hearing. Alucard had actually been considerate enough to go out of his way to find humans who possibly deserved death? She shook her head disbelievingly, not quite accepting the wonderful but confusing truth.

"He found a loophole for you, child" Helena continued, moving to stand in front of Seras. "One you can use until you grow accustomed to your new way of life." The child vampire's heart gladdened as she watched the young vampire's mouth rise into a smile, showing she'd accepted her words.

_Maybe Master Alucard does care for my humanity._

Suddenly the two vampires sensed a disturbance several miles away, and both were able to recognize the sound of muffled gunshots, even from so far a distance. _Perks to being a vampire _Seras thought with some pride, opening her mind to find the source of the problem.

With her thoughts reaching across the distance, then did she quickly realize that the action taking place was familiar. Ghouls were in the area of the gunfire, and someone was fighting them. The Hellsing agency was battling, and by the sounds of erratic firing, they were losing.

"I believe your comrades are in need of help" Helena said, giving her a smile of encouragement.

Seras nodded in agreement and teleported to where she sensed the Hellsing troops were. She recognized the area as being outside the main portion of London, where there was less population. But beyond that, nothing else seemed familiar. The destruction before her was shocking, making her gasp in surprise. Buildings had been torn apart, the street was in rubble, and there were ghouls everywhere.

Looking farther down what used to be a large avenue, she spotted the Hellsing troops. More prominently, she spotted their leader, his long pony tail swinging as he fired shot after shot into a large crowd of ghouls surrounding them.

"Need some help?" she asked, running up to Pip and giving him a fang filled smile.

"We could use as much as possible" Pip replied, grinning at her. He recommenced his barrage, as Seras drew her Harkonnen out of a black vortex. The action distracted Hellsing's commander for only a few seconds, then he returned to shooting the incoming ghouls.

With Seras' help, they were able to quickly eradicate the puppets from that sector. Unfortunately, there were several other groups of troops who were still having difficulty. The fledgling vampire rushed to the most hard pressed area first, finding the soldiers fighting within a large church. She joined the group quickly, Spotting several areas where the ghouls appeared to be entering from, With a few well-placed shots, Seras was able to collapse the ghouls' entrances, making the area safe.

"Having all the fun, Police Girl?" a voice asked, and Seras immediately recognized it as her master's. The elder vampire appeared only seconds later, walking leisurely through a stone wall.

"Master!" Seras yelled happily, though surprised by his appearance. She wouldn't think he'd come to help humans out, even if the master vampire had made a pact with the organization's leader.

Alucard grinned at his child's eagerness toward his arrival, wondering the reason. Her mood also seemed more lifted, and she was actually somewhat enjoying destroying the ghouls around her. But he'd scan her thoughts later, after the fun was over. Right now he could sense a true vampire among the ruins of the church grounds, though he doubted the trash would give him much of a challenge.

Alucard's intuition turned out to be correct, after he found the vampire hiding inside a nearby shed. He easily disposed of the pathetic Nosferatu, one barely freed from the servitude of a master. _Young wretches are becoming all too common _he thought disgustedly, as he watched the corpse collapse into a pile of dust. _Though Seras is an exception_ was the thought lingering in his mind, as Alucard turned to his fledgling.

But the master vampire had looked toward his child at the worst possible moment. What he saw was not at all to his liking, and someone would pay dearly for that.

Pip, in appreciation for Seras' help, had taken her hand and gently placed a kiss upon the pale flesh.

All of a sudden, Pip felt that something was very wrong. Looking up from the hand he still held, the Hellsing commander beheld the master vampire's eyes burning into his. A jolt of pain flashed through Pip's mind, showing that a repeated action of the sort would be punished severely.

Alucard stalked over to the couple and stood beside Seras, his eyes never leaving Pip's for a moment. Seras, seeing the exchange, quickly wrenched her hand from the commander's and watched with unease as the standoff continued, though not for very long.

Pip slowly backed away toward his men, giving the excuse that some commands needed to be given to the troops. Alucard turned his head toward Seras, allowing the captain full opportunity to walk away with his pride intact. Which he gladly took.

"Master, why did you do that?" Seras asked accusingly, confused by his actions. She'd never seem him so filled with rage, and toward Pip of all people. The only action he'd done was kiss her hand, why had the simple gesture made her master's eyes burn with hatred?

Alucard simply continued to stare at her, then vanished into the night with only a single phrase echoing in Seras' mind. _"Remember Seras, you're **mine**."_


	28. Learning

A/N: A little OOC for Alucard, but I have to keep the story interesting (grinning). And one major announcement. I'm changing the rating of the story from PG-13 to R. If anyone has any objections, I'll gladly hear them. And to Kiyuu-Chan, I know very little about the Millennium organization, so I doubt I could portray any of their members accurately. Enjoy everyone!

_Learning about others _

_Opens a window to their soul._

Seras had stood for a long while, gazing at the spot Alucard had vanished with confusion. Deciding she had no reason to stay there any longer, the fledgling flew back to the apartment. She would have used a black vortex, but didn't want to trust to her ability right now. She could have ended up anywhere in England with how confused her thoughts were.

Arriving at the apartment, Seras looked around for evidence of her master's presence. Not finding any, she supposed he was in his bedroom. With a heavy sigh, she retreated into her bedroom. Laying herself on her bed, she pondered her master's final words for the rest of the night. As the sun finally rose, sleep took her.

Awaking to her vampiric senses rising, Seras stretched her tired limbs. Lazily swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she drifted out to the main living area. To her surprise, Alucard was not standing at his customary window. Calling out his name, Seras peered around the rest of the main rooms. Finding that he was nowhere to be seen in the central portion of the apartment, she turned her attention to the one last place he could be. She had yet to check his bedroom, and the fledgling wasn't sure if she should.

Standing before the door, she argued with herself on whether or not to enter his room, but decided now was not the time to be bashful. After all, her master was nowhere to be found and she was genuinely worried about him. Besides, if she saw something personal, it would be his fault for scaring her like this.

Peeking her head into his room, she saw that his bed lay untouched. Seras realized that Alucard hadn't returned the night before.

Fear began to settle in, as her mind frantically tried to make sense of the situation. Taking deep breaths, she forced herself to calm down, and tried to think of a rational explanation for why her master hadn't returned. His actions the night before had been very unpredictable and inexcusable, but she wondered why he'd done such. Alucard's final, almost chilling, sentence had shaken her nerves.

Seras wandered back into her bedroom, her head down while she still pondering the situation. But when she looked up, she was surprised to see a beautiful red dress draped across her bed, and Alucard in his customary chair. She quickly did a double take at her master, suddenly registering what he was wearing.

Instead of the usual black suit with matching formal shoes, her master had on an outfit quite different. Alucard was wearing a tight fitting white body shirt, showing off his finely toned arms. A dark vest was draped over the white cloth, both slightly stretched under the strain of his pects. In place of his loose pants, he now showed a pair of tight fitting black jeans, showing off his leans hips and thin waist. A pair of dark boots completed the ensemble. His ebony colored hair was long, reaching past his shoulders, and his gloveless hands were smooth and pale. The sight of him was stunning, and Seras could only gape at the elder vampire for several seconds, before her master's amused gaze brought her back to attention.

"Staring at something you like?" Alucard asked mischievously, rising from the chair. He walked over to the bed and picked up the dress, which Seras realized was made of silk. Her master approached her and stood in front of his child, the garment out for her to take.

Seras slowly reached out and took the offered dress, carefully holding the silk cloth in front of her to examine the gift. The gown reached just below knee length, with a single slit running along the right side, stopping at just below her upper thigh. Thin straps helped to keep the dress in place, while the neck line dipped exceedingly low. Seras noticed with some embarrassment that the top would show much of her cleavage, while the fabric would be tight fitting around the rest of her body. But overall, the dress was the most beautiful piece of clothing she'd ever seen, much less worn.

Staring at the wonderful piece of clothing, the fledgling suddenly wondered what the occasion was. Maybe to make up for his strange behavior the night before? Seras snorted at her silent thoughts. He probably just wanted to see her in as revealing an outfit as possible.

Alucard raised an eyebrow at her sudden noise and smirked slightly. _Probably_ _amused by my thoughts_ she guessed. _Damn him._

Her master suddenly moved a little closer to her, bending down so their eyes were level. "Aren't you going to try it on?" he asked, giving her an innocent smile. Not an easy feat for Alucard.

With a scowl, Seras carefully set the dress down on the bed and walked behind Alucard. Placing her hands on her master's back, she proceeded to unceremoniously shove him out of the room.

Alucard didn't protest her bold treatment of him, merely grinning at her obvious embarrassment and anger. Though he could tell she liked the dress.

Shoving him into the living room and nearly slamming the door in her master's face, Seras proceeded to slip into the dress. Surprisingly, the clothing fit perfectly and after admiring herself in the mirror, she noticed a shoe box on the bed. Walking over and lifting the lid, she gasped at what lay before her.

Laying among the soft wrapping was a pair of dazzling high heels. They were the color of her dress, with several small diamonds imbedded on the toes, sparkling softly in the light. Trying them on, the heels also fit perfectly.

Seras blushed when she realized one important fact. In order for her master to have gotten the correct measurements for both the shoes and dress, he would have had to look over her body. All over. Blushing, the young vampire decided she really needed to find out why Alucard was giving her these wonderful gifts. Before she started believing that he might actually like her.

Coming out of her room, Seras nearly bumped into Alcuard's chest. He'd been standing at her door the entire time, obviously waiting impatiently for her to show herself. Grabbing her shoulders to keep his fledgling from falling to the floor, he inspected the blushing blonde's attire with a penetrating gaze. Apparently liking what he saw, Alucard righted Seras and stepped back.

Remembering she didn't need to breathe, Seras stopped the unconsciously quickened breaths and stood uneasily in front of her master. He made a low bow to her and gestured his hands toward the door.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm to her in an unusual display of manners.

Seras took the offered arm and walking to the front entrance of their suite, allowing Alucard to open the door for her. The fledgling vampire couldn't help but blush as they made their way through the lobby of the hotel, so many people were staring at the gorgeous couple.

Once outside, Alucard hailed a taxi and, escorting Seras into the seat before himself, instructed the driver on where to go. The young vampire beside him said nothing as they traveled to their destination, merely enjoying the time with her master. Though the elder vampire's actions were still making her nervous and suspicious as to his intentions.

Coming to a stop in front of a large and popular dancing establishment, Seras gaped at the amount of people waiting in line to enter. Alucard helped her out of the vehicle, paying the driver with gold coins, and escorted her to the front entrance. A burly human suddenly blocked their path, and looked haughtily at the well-groomed couple.

"You can't come in unless your names are on the list" he said, pointing to a piece of paper on the clipboard he held.

"You will let us through" Alucard commanded, the attendant's eyes glazing over. Seras recognized the effect of mind control from before, when her master had used the technique on the female Freak.

"You may go through" the man said, a now dreamy quality to his voice.

Alucard grinned and pushed past the human, taking Seras with him. She followed the elder vampire through the crowds of young people, finally reaching the main room.

Music blasted from large speakers situated around the huge dance floor, echoing off the specially designed walls and nearly splitting Seras' head when the intensity hit her sensitive vampire ears. The party floor was lit with several flashing lights, all a different color. The swirling hues almost made Seras dizzy watching them, and she shifted her eyes to Alucard. With a start, she saw that he was staring directly at her with the most penetrating look he'd ever given her.

"_Master?"_ Seras asked in her mind, knowing if she spoke aloud the music would drown out her words.

Alucard's mouth turned up in a grin, as he wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to a corner table surrounded by shadows. A waitress came over to them, asking if they'd like to order anything to drink.

Alucard ordered the most expensive wine in their inventory, while Seras looked at the people surrounding them. The fledgling used her growing vampiric senses to feel the atmosphere, and was blasted by what she was receiving. With so many young bodies pressing together, dancing to quickened beats and even quicker breathing, the air was thick with lust.

The emotions began to affect her, as she turned to her master withdarkened eyes. The clothing he wore wasn't helping her self restraint, as she now leaned toward his own blazing eyes, his inviting lips.

_Stop it!_ Seras yelled at herself, pulling back and blocking the surrounding hormonal thoughts from her mind. She hung her head in shame at her lack of control, wishing the night was over. _I must have looked ridiculous, edging toward him like that _she thought embarrassingly.

_Wait, what was that look in Master's eyes? _Seras suddenly wondered, snapping her head up. She slowly turned her eyes back toward her master's eyes and saw that they held the same amused look he always had. But on closer inspection, she noticed a hint of some deeper emotion within the ruby orbs.

Then the waitress returned with a large bottle of wine and two glasses, making Seras quickly look away from her master's eyes. The elder vampire payed for the drink and after the girl had left, took the bottle and poured some for Seras and himself. He slid a glass in front of his fledgling, while the other he took in his hand, swirling the contents absently.

Seras shot a leery look at the glass in front of her. She well remembered the drinking contest she'd had with Alucard, and the outcome. Vampires could get drunk, and the fledgling vampire really didn't want to look foolish in front of her master. Besides, what did she know about Alucard around women? _Maybe he isn't the gentleman he's pretending to be _she thought suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.

"_Aren't you going to try some?"_ Alucard whispered in her mind, startling Seras from her thoughts.

A guilty look crossed her face as she reprimanded herself. Of course her master wouldn't try to get her drunk, and he definitely wouldn't take advantage of her if she did manage to become intoxicated.

She grabbed the glass and slowly lifted the rim to her lips, turning her eyes to look at Alucard. Her master was watching her carefully, his wine still untouched. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Seras took a sip of the drink. Surprisingly, she liked the taste, licking her lips in satisfaction.

Alucard followed suit, drinking from his glass and watching Seras' eyes look around the building curiously. Though his gaze never wandered away from his fledgling.

Seras felt the elder vampire's crimson orbs upon her form, and shuddered slightly under the attention. _Why is he staring at me like that?_ she asked herself, her mind racing with nervousness.

Suddenly a brawl broke out on the dance floor, apparently between two men fighting over the same girl. One of the combatants pulled out a knife, which he deftly swiped at his opponent. Seras could smell fresh blood spill, though a large crowd was now blocking her view, and knew the man had hit his mark. She could feel her fangs grow with the delicious scent, and failed to stem off the rising hunger in her stomach.

"_Listen, Seras. Listen to their calls for violence. Nothing more than animals, lower than us" _Alucard whispered into her mind. The scene before them was indeed appalling, with the masses around the fight chanting for more bloodshed and carnage.

However, Seras shook her head at her master's words, not agreeing with him. Though she saw a large number of the patrons in the crowd of cheerers, she also noticed some of the people turn away from the primal spectacle.

"_Do you smell the blood? Doesn't it call to you?" _ His voice dripped with ecstasy at the scent of shed blood, fresh from a human's body.

"_Yes"_ she had to admit, feeling her body shake with the pleasure filling her master's words.

Realizing how she was acting, and disgusted with herself, Seras tried to focus her attention on her other senses. She continued to watch the club's clients who were not participating in the spectacle, could taste the wine on her tongue, and heard the approach of several police cars.


	29. Romance

A/N: Naughty time! 8) If anyone hates me for this chapter, then I've written it well. If you don't, then DAMN IT! But thanks to everyone anyway!

_Romance unexpected_

_Is a welcomed gift to the received._

"_Time to leave"_ she heard Alucard say, amusement still in his voice. Seras was suddenly swept off her feet, as he picked up her up bridal style and walked through the wall behind their table. Emerging behind the club, which was now being swarmed by police officers, Alucard set her down. Seras looked uneasily around, wondering if they might be discovered at any moment.

"The night is still young, Police Girl" Alucard suddenly spoke, gesturing toward the dark sky. "Do you wish to go for a stroll?" he questioned, offering his arm.

"Alright" Seras answered unsurely, slowly taking the given limb. The two began to wander down the street, away from the noise of people and the glare of the streetlights. Their footsteps led them to an older section of London, where the roads were too narrow for cars and the crowds had thinned to nothing.

"Did you enjoy yourself, Police Girl?" Alucard suddenly asked, breaking the long but enjoyable silence between them.

"Yes" she lied, tightening her grip on his arm. She desperately wanted to forget the entire experience in the night club. And surprisingly, her master's body was quite warm, and she felt like she could bask in the heat forever.

Feeling comfort in Alucard's presence, Seras' thoughts wandered as they walked along, going over the events of the past few days. She wondered what her master had found out from the warehouse incident and, more recently, from the female Freak he'd destroyed. The fledgling knew better than to ask the elder vampire where he'd been, since the answer would be silence or a reprimand.

_But I don't really want to ruin this moment_ _anyway_ she thought, leaning her head against Alucard's shoulder as they walked. She regretted her action immediately, as her master tensed under her move. However, he quickly relaxed and didn't seem to mind her boldness.

His flinching reminded Seras that the time seemed like forever since Alucard had confided in her. He'd clammed up after their arrival in England, and now she couldn't even make a conversation with him.But maybe later she could change that, because right now she was enjoying herself too much.

"You're very curious about your master, aren't you Police Girl?" Alucard suddenly asked, making Seras' cheeks burn in embarrassment. "If you really want to know, I was with Integra the whole evening. She was very upset about a police discovery of two bodies, drained of blood and bullet holes in their heads." The elder vampire smiled wickedly, remembering the Hellsing leaders heated words toward him. "Apparently she didn't want us to feed upon any more humans without her permission."

Seras was shocked to feel a stab of jealousy rise up within her upon hearing where Alucard had gone. The grin that crept upon his face as he told her about the meeting only confirmed her suspicions, and her usually bright face saddened. Then the young vampire began berating herself for feeling such emotions._ What did it matter if Master saw Integra?_ she thought, trying to brush aside her jealousy. _It's not as if Alucard and I are a couple. It's not as if he cares for me._

She sighed softly, when a sudden pain in her lower abdomen interrupted her thoughts. Seras was reminded of the hunger she'd felt in the club, with all those warm thriving bodies around her just screaming to be taken.

Alucard had listened to her thoughts and smirked at the emotions she'd felt. The last few had indeed caught his attention, as did the slight rumbling in her stomach. Seras had more control around the humans than he thought she could, especially with how his fledgling was starving herself.

But what had really intrigued the master vampire was the lust her eyes had held, and directed at him. He hadn't been able to control his own rising emotions, with his lust growing. But maybe he could solve both those problems for them at once, the emotional and the physical. Choosing a small side alley as a stage for his plan, he maneuvered their walk into the detour.

"Something wrong, Police Girl?" he asked innocently, stopping their forward procession. "The humans' blood was intoxicating, wasn't it? So much lust in the air, they smelled wonderfully delicious." Alucard licked his lips in remembrance, emphasizing the point to his fledgling.

"Please, don't mention blood" Seras groaned, trying to forget the incessant gnawing in her stomach.

Alucard grinned to himself as his fledgling's irritation gave him an idea. His plan was going well, as he saw the perfect chance to distract her thoughts; and maybe have some other fun with her as well.

"Blood bank, blood drive" he started whispering in her ear, enjoying watching Seras' form quiver in anger. "Bloody Mary, bloody steak."

"Bloody hell!" she screamed, pushing herself away from Alucard. Suddenly realizing what she'd said, Seras slapped herself on the forehead and groaned. "Master, stop that!" she yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her tormentor.

Alucard merely grinned at her, silently congratulating himself on the success of his teasing. Now, time for the more interesting fun.

The smug look on her master's face only fueled Seras' anger. She raised her hand to slap the smirk off his face, but was surprised to find his hand quickly occupying her own.Seras backed up, only to meet with a solid brick wall behind her.

"M-Master" Seras stuttered, looking into his face. The strange look had reappeared in Alucard's eyes, and she blushed under his gaze.The fledgling tried to remove her hand from her master's, but his grip was like steel. She couldn't budge an inch, and he was slowly closing the space between their bodies.

"What are y-" An involuntary yelp interrupted her question as she felt Alucard's other hand rest on her hip. Seras stared nervously down at the intrusive appendage, but quickly snapped her head back up when she heard a growl. Did her master just growl at her!

But what surprised Seras more was her own answering hiss escaping her lips, making a feral grin appear on Alucard's face. _What is going on?_ she thought desperately.Why was her master acting so strangely, and what were these emotions she was feeling?

"Master" she managed to breathe, struggling to control the shiver in her voice. His actions were making her body shift uneasily, but she knew the feelings weren't from nervousness. A shiver of excitement traveled up her spine as she watched Alucard's eyes darken.

"Not to your liking, Police Girl?" Alucard whispered, his face inching closer to hers. Then their mouths met in the silent darkness.

His lips were as cold as Seras thought they would be, and she imagined hers were the same. But his tongue soon darted out and sought passage into hers, which she willingly granted. As their mouths worked against each others, heat began to build with each stroke of their tongues.The warmth traveled throughout her body,making her shiver in pleasure.

Seras wrapped her arms behind his back, pulling them closer and deepening the kiss. The taste of each other was intoxicating, and the nonexistent gap between their forms only increased the tension building in their bodies. Finally, after an incredibly long and lustful period, their mouths slightly broke apart.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me, Master?" Seras murmured against Alucard's lips.

"Do you want me to?" he purred, mocking an innocent tone. Alucard silenced her reply by pressing their lips together again.

Their breathing, though unnecessary, was coming in quicker and deeper gasps. Seras' hands traveled down her master's chest, slipping under the shirt to feel his smooth chest. Sweat was already building along the sculpted abs, and the fledgling ran her hand across his sensitive nipples. Alucard moaned in response, vibrating their joined lips.

Seras barely noticed as one of his hands roamed down the side of her leg, slipping into the slit of her dress. There his fingers trailed lazily on the inside of her thigh, setting her flesh afire.

But Alucard suddenly sensed a change in Integra's mood through a telepathic channel he'd created, without the Hellsing's knowledge. Meaning she'd found some information of importance. He growled in frustration at the interruption. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand from Seras' body and stood back.

Seras looked at her master confusedly, as he suddenly stopped his delicious touches and stepped away from her. She wondered if she'd done something wrong, or if he'd changed his mind and was just teasing her.

"Integra has found something" he stated, trying his best to disguise the lust still evident in his eyes.

"Oh" she said, her mind now preoccupied with her buzzing thoughts. Seras was trying her hardest to hide the embarrassment she felt as well as she could, failing miserably. She'd just been making out in an alley like some overactive teenager, and with her master of all people!

And then Integra had called, and he'd stopped. Did Alucard care more for the Hellsing's leader than for her, and she was merely a replacement? Was he just playing around with her? Was that all she was to him, a toy?

Alucard, on the other hand, was very angered at the interruption and only wished to resume their little fun. The doubtful thoughts he was receiving from his fledgling weren't helping matters. The master vampire very much wanted to kill the first human he saw for retribution, but Integra was becoming more irritated with her new information.

"Come, Police Girl" he said, slipping an arm around her waist and slowly disappearing into the shadows. _"And you're not a toy to me, Seras"_ he added, as they faded away into the night.


	30. Bury

A/N: Okay, the lime of the story, and then I move on to the plot (lol). I hope you don't mind too much Kitsunedemon. Seriously, you've been with the story too long for me to lose you. And in regards to Oritsu's questions, depends on what the readers want (because frankly, it's no fun writing this without their say) and no, I'll always be on Fanfiction. Hope everyone enjoys...

_Escaping one's past_

_Creates future confrontations._

Arriving at the Hellsing mansion lobby, Alucard released Seras. He turned away from her and silently began to walk toward the grand staircase. He summoned his large coat, covering the unusual clothing he wore. His fledgling, however, was still trying to register what her master had said before they'd disappeared.

_Did I hear right_? she thought, questioning the words that had come from Alucard's mind only moments before. If she wasn't a toy for him, why had he kissed her? She was his fledgling, nothing more than a servant bound to him by blood. Could he actually love her with all those barriers in mind? But then again, he was slightly insane.

Seras felt two strong arms wrap around her waist again, and a lean body pressed into her back.

"Coming, Police Girl?" Alucard whispered into her ear.

Seras shivered at his tone, so low and seductive. His mere presence so close to her was making her body temperature rise. All she could do was nod her head and wish he would never let go of her.

She heard a quiet chuckle escape his lips, as the arms around her tightened their hold. "If that's what you want" came his reply, reading her pleading thoughts.

Suddenly they were rising in the air, reaching the height of the second story landing. Then they were floating across the narrow hall and literally through the door to Integra's office. The trip had been so quick and unsuspected that she hadn't had time to scream in fright.

The occupants in the room jumped slightly at the abrupt entrance, not accustomed to vampires entering so boldly. But most quickly regained their composure, with the exception of a man standing in a far corner.

"You're here already" was all Integra said to the two vampires, as she sat in a chair looking at several papers in her hand; though she did give the younger of the vampires a careful stare through her glasses before setting down the papers.

Seras looked down at herself and blushed. She had forgotten about the dress she now wore, which was not the most appropriate attire for a military discussion. Trying to distract her mind, she peered around at the room's other occupants. She didn't see anything of Pip, and wondered if he'd said something to Integra about the previous night.

But since nothing was mentioned, Pip had apparently omitted in his report the confrontation between the master vampire and himself. _All the better for him_ Alucard thought. The elder vampire was still berating himself for his show of emotion, but the human had been taking too many liberties with the Police Girl. She was his. He owned her soul, and with time he'd claim more than that. Alucard stopped his musings when the elderly retainer began to discuss the news.

"From the information Alucard gave us the other night, we have been able to identify a likely source of the Freak chips" Walter said, opening a map on Integra's desk. "The Freak vampires came from this area" he said, pointing to a sector outlined in red. "Around the outskirts of the old industrial section in London."

_So Master really was here last night_ Seras thought sadly, her thoughts wandering from the conversation. The fledgling was also surprised, and hurt, that Alucard had told Integra information and not her. Didn't he trust her?

Then the elderly butler directed his attention specifically toward Seras, bringing the young vampire's thoughts back to the topic. "We have an infiltration team prepared for tomorrow night, but are one man short. Miss Victoria, would you care to join the squad for that evening?"

Seras turned to Alucard, wondering how she should answer. He didn't move nor say a word, apparently wanting his child to decide for herself.

"I'll go" she said, almost sure she saw her master flinch at her answer.

"This is Commander Burns" Integra said, gesturing toward the man standing in the corner. "He will be in charge of the mission."

Alucard slowly shifted his gaze to the human and realized he would rather rip the man's face off than allow him the charge of his fledgling. The Hellsing soldier was leering at his child, the expression visible only from where the master vampire was standing. Bad mistake.

_When the deal with the Hellsing is over_ the No-Life King thought to himself, _I am going to kill this human. Possibly torture him, if time allows. _But for now, the elder vampire merely turned his lips up in a snarl. Catching the human's attention with his sudden change in mood, he released a quiet growl. An unfriendly warning to stop his ideas, before the vampire stopped his breathing.

Commander Burns was abruptly jolted from his staring, sensing a menacing gaze upon him. Sweat was already collecting on his forehead, as the human turned his head and paled at the master vampire's glare. He was obviously more used to destroying vampires than working with them. The human nearly shrieked when Alucard growled only low enough for him to hear, which made Integra look at the two sharply.

"Are both of you paying attention?" she barked out. The commander stood to attention while Alucard merely shrugged and gave her a mocking grin. Integra snarled under her breath, seeing that she couldn't control the monster standing before her. But she'd have to do something about that later, since they had more important missions to deal with.

Integra let out a soothing sigh, fixing her eyes on the map before her. The commander had told her before the meeting that he didn't want a vampire on his team, and that he couldn't guarantee the monster's safety around the men. They were trained Hellsing soldiers, who had watched many of their comrades fall in battle. Their liking of vampires was nonexistent. The vampiress could certainly be a liability, but the Hellsing leader was willing to risk confrontations if it meant more of her men would be safe.

"There are two entrances to the warehouse" Walter explained, apparently unperturbed by the interruptions. "Seras will be her own team, taking the front entrance, while the Hellsing soldiers will go in the back."

_She's going to be a diversion_ Alucard thought disgustedly, though outwardly showing nothing of his emotions. He was getting dangerously close to losing his temper and massacring every human in the compound, regardless of a pact or not. The elder vampire suddenly grinned. _Quite an amusing idea..._

Now finished with the plan's layout, Integra dismissed the meeting. The humans resumed their duties, though giving the vampires a wary look. Alucard smirked at their uneasiness and grabbed hold of Seras' shoulder, vanishing from the room. They appeared on the outer edges of the Hellsing mansion lawn, far from any of the human sentries. Both of the vampires appeared distracted, each lost in their thoughts.

A question had been nagging at Seras, and now was the perfect time to ask. Besides, Alucard giving information to Integra and not her made the fledgling question her master's motives toward her.

"Why did you take me to the club?" Seras questioned, catching Alucard's eyes with her own.

"To test your ability to restrain yourself. You passed well, Police Girl" Alucard said, one of his long fingers trailing down her cheek. Seras nuzzled the approving digit, finding a moment of peace before having to think of the carnage the following night would bring.

But she wanted more than what his words had told her. "Is that the only reason?" she asked, searching his eyes for the answer she desperately wanted to see.

"Maybe" was all he replied, pulling his hand back. His glasses appeared in front of his eyes, blocking Seras' view of them; and their emotions.

Alucard alighted into the sky, a flock of bats enjoying the flight. Seras followed, somewhat preoccupied by the later events of the evening. Thankfully, the two vampires didn't have to deal with hunting tonight, since they had been given blood by Hellsing after the meeting. So that left the couple with nothing to do, the time being only a little past midnight.

Alucard looked at the flock of bats by his side, who's many eyes were gazing at the night around them. He was sorely tempted to resume their interrupted activity, but first he needed a way to distract her out of the depression. He'd read her mind during the meeting, and was curious by how much pain she felt at being left out of his knowledge.

Alucard growled in frustration. Her emotional human side was quite the nuisance, though well worth seeing her vampiric nature. Maybe a little teasing would bring out the fun in her? Nothing better to distract her mind, and catch her lips.

"_Master?" _

"_What?"_

"_I'd like to go somewhere. To visit someone I haven't talked to in a while. You can come if you want" _she added hesitantly. Seras' voice sounded like she'd rather he didn't come, as if the wanted conversation would be one of a private nature. But her master had others plans for the night.

Alucard didn't answer, but instead fell in behind Seras. She turned away from the main London area, instead heading toward the countryside. Leading the way over several small farms and villages, the fledgling finally spotted what she was looking for. Dropping down and resuming her human shape, she smiled sadly at the sight before her.

Alucard joined her, letting his eyes wander around their surroundings in some amusement. They had landed before the gates of an old cemetery, with a pair of large irons gates blocking the entrance, as if guarding the tombs of the dead. Though the graveyard was well kept, the signs of age showed in the massive headstones and family mausoleums dotting the grounds. _Quite a fitting place for a vampire _he laughingly thought.

Seras walked through the intimidating gates and toward the newer portion of the cemetery. Looking around a moment, she gave a small cry of discovery and walked over to a group of aging markers.

"Hi mom" she said, taking off her shoes. Seras slowly kneeled down in front of a simple headstone, mindful of the dress she still wore. She felt silly talking to the stone with Alucard standing behind her, but he didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. And there really wasn't anything she could do about his presence, since she doubted a simple 'please go away' would move him. He didn't seem to understand the idea of privacy or personal space.

After a few minutes of telling her mother's gravestone about what had happened since she'd last visited, Seras hesitated. Now she really needed her master to leave, because she wanted to talk about him. She'd have to teach him about manners concerning when someone talked to their dead loved ones.

Alucard smirked at his fledgling's thoughts, amused by her insistence upon privacy. Though Seras' wish to speak with her mother had entertained him for a while, he'd now lost interest in the matter. The master vampire gazed around the tombstones and suddenly stiffened. He'd recognized something far off, something he'd forgotten.

Head still bent over her mother's grave, Seras suddenly heard Alucard's form move behind her. Glancing back, she saw him walking away among the tombstones, his footsteps bent upon some purpose. Confused, the fledgling silently followed her master's retreating form. Alucard led her deeper into the cemetery, entering the oldest portions of the grounds. Mausoleums littered the landscape while huge tombstones kept watch over their dead.

Her master hesitated in front of one of those old mausoleums, then proceeded to enter. Seras walked up and stood before the obviously ancient structure. Though faded by time, she could see the name Harker inscribed upon the border surrounding the entrance.

Entering slowly, Seras looked around the small building with interest. There were several rows of silver plaques along both sides, each bearing the names of the entombed and the dates in which they were born and had died. In the middle of the room had been placed a large low alter, apparently for mourners who came to remember those who had passed on.

Alucard stopped in front of one of the plaques, one which looked to be considerably older than the rest. Seras stood beside him, her presence apparently unnoticed by the elder vampire. Silently, she read the name to herself.

_Wilhelmina Harker, born 1623, died 1644. Why is master interested in this person? _Seras wondered.

The eerie silence of her master and the heavy atmosphere of the enclosure was starting to wear on her nerves. Seras turned to her master and was about to ask if they could leave, when something caught her eye. A single tear shown on Alucard's face, leaving a blood streaked stain down his pale cheek.

"Master?" she asked, shaken by the scene before her. Her master rarely showed emotion, and now there was this.

"Calm down" Alucard suddenly spoke, making Seras jump. Obviously he had noticed her entrance, and had said nothing. But what really made the fledgling flinch was the tone of his voice, completely lacking in emotion; almost like he was trying his hardest to hide something very painful by blocking out all his feelings.

"Who was she?" Seras asked quietly, pointing to the woman's name. But her master gave her no reply, merely continuing to stare at the plaque. She began to become frightened, though not because of the atmosphere. There was no smirk, no amusement, no malice in his demeanor. "Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help."

Alucard suddenly swirled around and grabbed her shoulder in a vice grip, startling a scream out of his fledgling. He roughly pushed Seras' entire body down upon the hard slab of granite, a cry escaping her lips as her back hit the stone. His glasses had slipped down his nose, allowing for her to see his eyes. They were blazing with anger and...pain?

"You, help me, Police Girl?" he snarled, making Seras cringe. He started shaking her against the unforgiving rock, jarring her very bones. "Do you know what it's like to have everything taken away from you in an instant?" He bared his teeth in the mockery of a smile, awaiting her negative answer.

"Yes" she said softly. Her voice and response jolted Alucard from his craze, making him stare at her with disbelief. Seras saw this and a small smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. "Don't you remember my memories? I've been alone for most of my life. So I _can_ understand."

Alucard slowly removed the pressure on her shoulders, though he did not remove his hands. He gazed at her for a long moment, studying her innocent face. The similarities between his first wife and the girl beneath him were few, stopping at their physical form. Mina had been ruthless, enjoying the hunt as much as himself, while Seras abhorred killing, even if it meant survival for herself. Her innocence was distasteful to vampires, reminding them of their long forgotten humanity. But maybe that was what he was looking for, as his mouth dove upon hers. Seras' eyes widened when his lips met hers for the third time that night. The elder vampire's coat and glasses disappeared, as he eased himself upon the altar, laying over his fledgling. He now rested his hands on her hips, making slow knowing circles.

The younger vampire ripped her mouth away from Alucard's. "Master, we can't. Not here" she tried to protest. Seras attempted to move under his weight, but found that her body wasn't responding. One of Alucard's hands had inched under her dress, making slow circles along the inside of her legs. She let out a small gasp as the hand traveled farther upward, reaching her lace thong.

"Nothing more than the dead among the dead, Police Girl" he whispered, running his tongue along her jaw.

_He **is** right _Seras' mind told her, as she shivered under his touch. Everyone around them was dead, after all, sleeping eternally within the confines of their coffins. And she wanted so much to stop the pain she'd seen in his eyes, make him forget for at least a moment. But merely forget? No, she wanted him to feel nothing but pleasure, pleasure for existing in this vampiric life. No pain, no guilt, no sadness.

With her decision made, Seras relaxed her body and went with her instincts. She eagerly slid her own hands along the solid contours of Alucard's chest, feeling cheated by the thin fabric that lay in the way. Remembering that the shirt had no buttons, she tore the clothing open. Feeling him shudder under her gentle touches, she freely let her hands roam across the cool flesh, wanting to feel every inch of his skin.

Meanwhile, Alucard's hand traveled past her thong, slowly stroking her smooth stomach. His lips caught hers in another opened mouthed kiss while his other hand cupped one of her breasts, kneading the flesh through her thin clothing. He could feel her shifting restlessly underneath him, causing his member to stiffen even more than it already was.

Seras gasped as one of Alucard's hands suddenly slid under the dress' low neck line and grabbed her breast. He rubbed the peak with his palm while his mouth continued to plunder her own. She rapped a long leg around his hips, pushing him down closer to her. Alucard growled his approval and slowly began to rub his lower body against hers. She could feel his arousal sliding along her hip, causing the heat between her legs to flare up.

Seras instinctively opened her legs wider, allowing Alucard to rest in-between them. His arousal was now sliding along her heated center, her need increasing with each brush of him. Her own hips rose to meet him, while their pace slowly increased. "Master" she moaned out, while the pressure within her rose to an almost unbearable level.

"Seras" he whispered huskily. By now, her dress had hiked up well over her hips and he could feel her warmth through the now soaked thong. Alucard slid his tongue along the top of her breasts, being urged on by the ever increasing moans beneath him. Reaching her throat, the master vampire nibbled at the bite marks he'd left. Then he quickly bit down, causing a shriek of pleasure to escape Seras' lips. The young vampire opened her own mouth, searching for Alucard's throat. But he stopped her by pulling away, eliciting a hiss from his lover.

Alucard smirked as he sensed her vampiric side emerging. Unfortunately, Seras' loss of control meant the end to their fun. As much as he wanted to continue, she would try to bite and drink from him. And he didn't want that, not yet.

The elder vampire nuzzled her ear, before he softly spoke one word. "Sleep." And she did.

A/N: If anyone feels I've broken a writer's agreement with the site, please tell me before you tell Fanfiction. I'll deal with the rating issue.


	31. Trap

A/N:Back to the plot as promised, LOL. Anyway, thanks to the readers and reviewers!

_A trap well laid_

_Captures the intended prey._

Seras awoke somewhat groggily the next night, slowly sitting up in her bed. She looked down at herself idly, then jerked awake. She was wearing her normal outfit, not the dress she'd last remembered having on. Then the memories of the previous night flooded to her mind, making her eyes widen in shock.

She and Alucard had almost had sex, and in a graveyard of all places! Her cheeks reddened at the exotic memories and the young vampire felt a sense of warmth wash over her. She would have felt ashamed by her actions, but the experience had been so pleasurable.

But Seras' mouth turned down in a frown as she wondered at Alucard's actions, which had interrupted their heated tryst. Why had he stopped? Why had Alucard stopped their fun? Maybe he hadn't found her so pleasurable?

The object of her confusion suddenly materialized in her room, a very pleased grin on his face. He once more wore his usual outfit, with his eyes covered by those strange glasses. Her master circled the bed slowly, looking at her carefully. As if finally deciding something, he stopped his pacing, his smirk growing wider.

"Your vampiric side had taken over" Alucard said, replying to her thoughtful questions. "And your urge to feed upon me was overwhelming you. I stopped before you could do such a thing" he stated simply, as if the answer was obvious.

"But why? What would have happened if I'd bitten you?" she asked confusingly. Another bit of information her master wasn't telling her.

"We must hurry along now" he said, evading her question, and her eyes. "The Hellsing troops are waiting."

Seras nodded her head obediently and grabbed the harkonnen, shouldering the large weapon. She would pry the matter further after the mission and the next time, she wouldn't let him brush her off.

Traveling to the Hellsing mansion by way of their dark portals, the vampires quickly arrived in Integra's office. The Hellsing leader had apparently braced herself for such an entrance, as she showed no signs of surprise or annoyance.

"The transport vehicles are situated behind the mansion. You will take your orders from Commander Burns without question, understood?" Integra asked Seras.

"Yes, sir" the vampiress answered, nodding her head. Seras could tell Alucard wasn't happy about this arrangement, and hoped he wouldn't kill her new commander in anger.

"Good" the Hellsing leader said. "Now go, the team is waiting for you."

Commander Burns stood among his troops proudly, watching them assemble their equipment properly. When Seras and Alucard appeared out of thin air, he nearly yelled out but kept his composure. He didn't want to appear weak in front of his men, especially toward vampires. With Seras' arrival, all the troops for the evening were assembled.

"Alright people, we'll be leaving in ten minutes. Grab your gear and prepare to move out" the commander ordered. The troops began picking up their guns, heading toward the vehicles.

Alucard suddenly turned to Seras, the customary grin gone from his face. The fledgling's eyebrow raised in question, wondering why his demeanor had changed.

"Some advice, Police Girl" Alucard said, his eyes settling on hers. _Still so innocent_ he thought. "Be careful."

"Why?" Seras asked, confused. Her master sounded generally concerned, and that idea frightened her.

"Remember this, though the blood in your veins is strong, the will commanding its strength must also be powerful. Otherwise, the vampire fledgling is destroyed." Alucard looked at Seras carefully, watching her expression change to one of confusion. "There was a reason for the training, other than the skills to be learned. You needed to realize your vampiric nature, knowing your limits and how to take advantage of the knowledge of your abilities."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because the enemy is moving. Can you feel the danger in the air? Like a storm brewing just beyond the horizon." He turned his attention to the blood red moon rising in the sky.

Seras gazed at her master for a moment, before her new commander ordered the remaining troops into the trucks. Turning, she gave Alucard one last look over her shoulder and headed toward the vehicles, slightly shaken by what the elder vampire had told her. She didn't speak to any of the troops in the truck with her, barely noticing the glares they gave her.

An hour later, the Hellsing squad and Seras arrived at their destination. The quarters under suspicion was an old manufacturing building, looking harmless enough with every window boarded up and all but two entrances sealed off. As according to the plan, the fledgling headed carefully toward the front entrance. She opened her senses, trying to feel for any signs of danger. Strangely, she could feel nothing emanating from the buildings, no hint of life at all. The assignment was also going too easy, with the Hellsing troops and Seras making their way to their positions without any trouble.

Reaching the main door with not a sign of any guards, Seras cautiously tried the handles. Finding they were locked, she opted for plan two. Pressing her hand against the wall near the entrance, she concentrated on walking through the solid barrier. But to her surprise, she wasn't able to conjure any of her dark powers. Maybe she needed more training?

_No_ Seras thought. _Alucard trained me. There must be something else wrong._

Sighing quietly, she pushed the thoughts aside and focused on her mission. There was still the problem of entering the building, and she could think of only one solution. Hopefully she wouldn't make too much noise doing so.

Leaning toward one of the locked doors, Seras grabbed one of the handles. With a quick, and thankfully quiet, twist, she snapped the bolt and opened the door. Peering around the corner, she saw nothing but a darkened hallway leading out of her vision. With a step of her feet, she slipped through the doorway and closed the slab shut behind her.

Squinting into the shadowed corridor, Seras was once more unpleasantly surprised. Her vampiric vision refused to penetrate the darkness, and she was left as blind as a human. Finding a nearby wall, she pressed her back to the surface and began to slowly creep down the hall.

Seras immediately noticed something strange. She felt no protrusions along her hand, meaning there were no other doors along the hallway she was in. Alucard's words floated to her mind as she tried to comprehend why someone would make a hallway leading to only one place.

Then Seras reached the end of the corridor, and the building opened up into a large complex area. And standing before her, situated in the lighted center of the large room, was a figure. She suddenly realized why the hall had been built with only one direction to go. It was a trap.

Seras couldn't see what the person was wearing, a cloak blocking her view. A hood also covered the figure's head, casting the face's features in shadow. She stepped closer, but halted as the person spoke.

"You can't win against us" the strange person before her said. "You're merely a fledgling, after all."

Seras completely froze, confused by what the person had said. _A man by his voice _she thought, trying to see under his hood. _But what is he talking about?_

Then the stranger pulled back his hood, revealing a male taller than herself. Seras also saw, to her surprise, that he looked no older than herself. But there were differences. There was a colder gleam to his eyes, like that of a hunter.

Then Seras looked again at his eyes in amazement. They were a glowing red, a color much like her own.

"What are you?" she asked, uncertain of what her mind was telling her.

"You know what I am, fledgling" the man responded, a grin appearing on his face. Then he suddenly threw the cloak off himself and at her.

Seras, distracted with the fabric the stranger had tossed, felt a kick connect with her chin and she heard her jaw break in several places. Her harkonnen was knocked out her grip, sliding across the floor. She skidded across the floor a few yards but quickly scrambled to her feet, facing her smirking opponent. Now she was weaponless, with only her vampiric abilities to depend upon.

And the stranger was unlike any vampire she'd fought before. The monster before her knew how to control his powers, and his strength was immense. _Alucard really knew what he was talking about_ she thought, grinning. The prospect of a challenging battle was having an effect on her mind, sending her into a state of bloodlust.

They stood before each other, sizing each other for any weaknesses. Then the two vampires began to stalk each other, warily watching with their eyes for any sudden movements. Suddenly they launched themselves at one another, fangs bared. The fight was vicious, each slashing and clawing at their enemy, swinging blows while dodging others. Finally they broke apart, both of their clothing ripped to shreds and covered in one another's blood, and their own.

Seras grinned at her opponent, bringing up a bloodied hand and licking the delicious life-force off. She could feel her survival instincts rise as she once more attacked the vampire, the battle became faster and more deadly. Now instead of trying to disable each other, they were both going for vital areas. Seras lashed at his throat while her opponent attempted to stab through her heart. Their blows collided with each, sending both reeling backwards.

Quickly standing to her feet, Seras prepared to attack again. But suddenly, several lights were flipped on around her. The young vampire could see people standing in the shadows, having apparently fixed the show before and during her fight. She cursed under her breath, scolding herself for being caught unaware.

Suddenly a bright violet colored light was flashed on her, seizing her body in a state of paralysis. Then pain wracked her body, as she slowly dropped to her knees.

"Ultraviolet rays. Not powerful enough to kill a vampire, but quite capable of disabling a fledgling such as yourself" a voice suddenly spoke, as a darkened figure stepped beside one of the machines. Seras recognized the sound as being male, though she could not recall ever hearing the voice before.

"If you kill me, Alucard will destroy you" Seras whispered confidently. Her master would rip them all to shreds.

"We have other plans for you, Seras Victoria." Seras jerked at the sound of her name, but instantly the pain flared up. Her vision was becoming blurry and she was slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

_Alucard . . . _she thought, before losing consciousness.


	32. Sacrifice

A/N: The enemy is revealed and another cliffhanger is added to my collection, lol. As always, thanks to the readers and reviewers!

S_acrifice for the innocent_

_Brings redemption. _

Alucard, after Seras' departure with the Hellsing team, had returned to the suite. The thought of spending his time with the humans was disgusting to him, and he chose to wait alone for his fledgling. He'd also decided not to follow his child, trusting in her abilities to destroy any Freaks found within the area of their hunt.

But musing to himself, Alucard was suddenly unable to feel his fledgling. He shot up from his seat, confusion on his face. Focusing all his powers, he sought to find her location but nothing would come. The feeling was as if the line had gone numb, though he knew she had not been destroyed.

The elder vampire snarled, frustrated with the failure of his search. But calming himself and clearing his mind, he thought of his options, coming only to one. He needed to find out what had happened to Seras, and Hellsing held the answers.

Transporting himself to the large mansion within the space of a few seconds, he appeared on the grounds. First inspecting the rear of the building and seeing that the Hellsing team had returned, he swiftly made his way to Integra's office.

Walking through the door, he was met with the sight of Integra and Walter, deep in conversation. But both humans turned at the entrance of the vampire, agitation in their demeanor at his bold coming.

"Tell me what happened" he ordered, ignoring the Hellsing leader's twitch of annoyance at his tone. But she nodded her head to Walter to answer the vampire's question.

"The mission was a trap" Walter explained, addressing himself to both Alucard and Integra. "Our troops were detained in the rear of the building by an unknown number of Freak vampires. No one was seriously injured and the militants left the area within a matter of minutes. But..." The elderly retainer hesitated, seeing Alucard's strained features.

"But what?" Alucard snarled.

"But it appears the Freaks were only after Miss Victoria. She was taken by them, we don't know where to. A note was left in the office of the building, addressed to you." Walter pulled out a folded piece of paper, handed to him by the commander, and held the message out for Alucard

The master vampire snatched the note from the retainers hand and read the contents quickly, his scowl changing into a smirk. Integra and Walter watched Alucard carefully, looking for signs of a violent reaction. They had lost his child while she was under their care, and an elder vampire's vengeance was not something they could handle at the current time.

Alucard, having finished reading the contents, tucked the paper inside his jacket and turned to leave. "You're getting sloppy, Hellsing" he spoke with a mocking tone, before disappearing into a dark vortex.

Alucard appeared on the outskirts of London, staring down at the large city. The note had given him the precise location of an empty manor house, and he'd pinpointed the area in Integra's office. But when he'd attempted to teleport to the spot, he'd appeared here, several miles from the location. Apparently barriers had been erected around a large perimeter, a discouragement for unwanted intruders.

Alucard smirked, wondering what challenge this threat would give him. However, Seras was his main priority and he would have his fun after she was freed. Changing into the form of his hell hound, he leapt from the building and sprinted through the alleys, going in the direction of the manor. Reaching the end of the city's limits, he moved across the fields and massive lawns of the regal mansions, searching for the correct house number.

Finding the number of the building he was seeking, Alucard carefully prowled around the perimeter, searching for sentries stationed outside. Much to his disappointment, he found no one. Growing tired of the lack of fun, he boldly approached the front of the manor. Coming within sight of the structure, he saw with mild amusement that the manor was Tudor in age, and in a far state of disrepair. _How cliche_ he thought with some humor.

Stopping before the impressive structure's entrance, he sniffed the air for signs of undead or Freaks. What returned to his senses confused him. He could smell three different scents, one being Seras, and another was a male vampire near her location. But the third puzzled him. He could smell several different varieties of blood within the building, but they were all centered on one precise location. His sense was telling him that many vampires were standing in the exact same spot, with no distance between them whatsoever.

Returning to his human form, Alucard easily pushed open the heavy wooden doors and strode in. He first turned his footsteps toward the mysterious number of scents, assuming the leader to be the unknown entity. The risk of freeing Seras before he confronted his opponent would be greater than if he met the enemy head-on, so he opted for the lesser danger.

Reaching the location, the elder vampire found himself standing before a large metal door, one which reeked of a spell barrier. Grinning, he opened the metal slab and walked into the room beyond. Staring around his surroundings, he saw only a large desk with a pad of buttons placed on one corner. There was also a large-screened tv behind the desk, but that mattered little to him as he noticed movement in a darkened corner.

"So you've come, vampire" a voice said from the shadows.

"Enrico Maxwell" Alucard responded.

The figure stepped forward, revealing a man in his mid-twenties, his long silver hair pulled back into a pony-tail. He wore an immaculate suit and a pair of large rimmed glasses, apparently used against the glare of the sun. His face wore a large smirk, though there was a hint of surprise tugging at the corners.

"You should have been more careful, Vatican" Alucard said, gleefully noticing annoyance along with the surprise. "Your subordinates whom you sent to destroy my fledgling and myself were able to catch a glimpse of your face. Such an easy task to find the memory within their minds, and the similarity between the Freaks' weapons and Iscariot's was slightly obvious" he spoke, recalling the blades one of Seras' opponents had used.

Maxwell silently stared at the vampire before him for a few seconds, before a chuckle escaped his lips. "That was careless of me, wasn't it?" he mused, stepping in front of the desk. "But you have also been careless. You thought to kill all of Iscariot by setting fire to the citadel and feeding off of those who escaped the flames. Unfortunately, your plan backfired."

"Obviously" Alucard interjected.

Maxwell continued, though he was slightly perturbed by the interruption. "Escaping from the fire through the laboratory, I was showered with the entire stock of vampire blood. The tainted blood seeped into my body as my own spilled out. The results are before you. I was turned into one of your kind, though the burns on my body were permanent." He held up a badly charred hand, showing several fingers also missing.

No wonder his smell had confused the master vampire. Several types of blood had mingled together to produce the abomination standing before him.

"You are a fool to create these pathetic imitations, humans with fangs" the master vampire said with disgust. "The boy who invaded my castle was bait, to lead me to you; and now you use my fledgling. Where is she?" Alucard snarled, looking ready to tear everything in sight to shreds.

"Certainly, I'm the one who sent the boy to you" Maxwell said, striding behind the desk. "He was a useful tool to gain your attention, though easily thrown away. Every servant is expendable, don't you agree?" he asked mockingly, turning to the large screen behind him.

Alucard watched an image on the tv slowly appear, snarling as he saw the who was on the screen. A picture of Seras was shown, her arms and legs chained to a stone wall behind her. She was unconscious, but otherwise appeared to be unharmed.

"Though I was hoping you would destroy that heretic organization in your search for me, rather than joining with them" Enrico commented, referring to Hellsing.

Alucard laughed, a strange sound in the large office. "You still speak of religion, after what you've become? Such foolishness, Iscariot, even for you."

"Tell me this, Alucard. Why do you fight for them, knowing what they did to your wife? What Van Hellsing did to you, trying to seal you within your own castle. The only fool within this room is you, not I."

"Why should I tell trash like you?"

"You needn't, but I have something which may decide for you." Maxwell leaned over the large desk, flipping a switch nestled on a panel of many.

Alucard watched with rage as the image of Seras was bathed in a bright violet light, her body writhing in agony at the mere touch. The elder vampire moved toward the former Iscariot leader, intent on shutting down the machine and breaking his fingers.

"Not another step" Maxwell said, his hand going to the panel once more. "The sprinklers in her room have been adapted to hold a liquid other than water. If you attack me, I need only press a button and she'll be showered with holy water. A very painful way for a vampire to die. Now, I have an offer for you." So saying, he flipped off the ultraviolet ray, a gesture of truce.

Alucard stopped his approach, but said nothing. His eyes wandered back to his fledgling, who still lay unconscious. Then his gaze shifted to the Iscariot before him, eyes boring into his own. This man had become a monster so similar to himself, he knew the battle would be difficult. Also, Seras was helpless at the moment and very vulnerable to Maxwell's torture.

"I wish for you to join me, but not as an equal" Maxwell proposed, a smirk on his face. "I need a strong pet and you would fit the part nicely. Your first assignment would be most enjoyable, the destruction of Hellsing. Well Alucard, do you accept?" His face showed a smile, showing his arrogance at having the upper hand.

Alucard studied Maxwell for a moment, face unreadable to the Iscariot leader. But turning toward his fledgling, a grin crept on his face. "No" he replied, smirking at the astonished face of the vampire before him.

"Why do you refuse my proposal?" Maxwell asked, surprised by the No-Life King's response. "Unlike Hellsing, Iscariot kept a well-detailed report of your past. I know what the first Hellsing did to you, during your first eventful trip to England. What he and his colleagues did to your beloved wife."

"What guarantee have I that you won't destroy us both?"

"None whatsoever, but what choice do you have?" the Iscariot asked, hand hovering over the panel.

Alucard made no response, and Maxwell's grin broadened.

"So you've given up, then" Maxwell spoke, pressing a new button on the console. Alucard didn't flinch as he felt cords wrap around himself, even when he felt a binding spell enact around him. He merely glared at the abomination before him. "You know well not to struggle, or your precious fledgling will perish."

A/N: Okay, no one needs to get mad at me about Alucard's 'capture'. Everything will be explained in the next chapter, which I might upload before next Sunday if no one else (besides Anonymous, since I'm writing this after his/her review) yells at me for his behavior.


	33. Belief

A/N: As promised, an early chapter. And so...long o.0 I can't believe I wrote that much. Anyway, hope everyone likes it! And only one more chapter to go...

_Belief in the one's you love_

_Is belief in yourself._

"_Seras..." _a voice echoed in her mind.

Seras' head jerked up, her eyes shooting open. With confusion clouding her brain for a moment, she barely comprehended that she was in an unfamiliar room. Shaking the sleep from her mind and looking around, she saw only four metallic walls and a large door. Trying to stand, she found both her legs and arms shackled to the wall, restraining her. Then the memories surfaced, of her fight with the vampire and her capture by the mysterious person.

She had to get out of here. Attempting to push through the shackles, Seras realized her dark powers weren't working. Panic nearly overtook her, as the fledgling could think of no other way to free herself. But she knew that course of action would help her little, so calming herself down with several comforting breaths, she inspected the cuffs. They appeared to be ordinary shackles, made of some type of metal. So why couldn't she escape them?

Then Seras remembered the warehouse, where her vampiric powers had also been restrained. Something within her grew angry at the thought of being blocked from her powers and shackled to the wall like some wild animal. The fledgling recognized the feeling of bloodlust, but her vampiric nature seemed to be existing beside her, rather than taking over. And at this moment, she desperately needed the power the beast held. _Maybe if I concentrated..._ Seras thought, closing her eyes.

Entering her own mind, the young vampire found herself standing on a wide plain, with a single tree standing within the center. Walking toward the large wood, Seras saw that the tree was dead, with no leaves gracing its branches. Reaching the massive trunk, as round as she was tall, Seras looked around. Then she noticed a small figure laying in the shadow of the tree, its back against the tree, watching her with blood red eyes. Cautiously approaching the person, she held out her hand, confusion lighting her face as the figure drew back.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Seras said, giving a comforting smile. But her smile quickly changed into one of shock when the figure literally crawled out of the shadows.

The figure was she. An exact replica of herself stood before Seras, but she noticed a drastic difference. The beast's appearance was darker than her own. The hair was long and pure black in color, like Alucard's, and blood coated every part of its skin. The creature's fangs were elongated from bloodlust, and the eyes flashed with curiosity at the young fledgling.

Seras realized this must be herself, but only when the vampire's nature consumed her. Swallowing, she took a careful step toward the beast, but jumped back in surprise when the creature growled at her. Suddenly the fledgling narrowed her eyes, liking little how her troublesome counterpart was treating her. Scowling, Seras stomped toward the creature and seated herself before it, surprising both herself and her mirror image.

"Listen, I need your help" Seras said, putting as much authority into her voice as she could. "If we don't get out of this room, we may die. Both of us." The creature stared at her closely, showing the first signs of intelligence Seras had noticed. "Please, I don't want to fight you anymore, and I know you don't want to be trapped here any longer."

Seras held out her hand once more, looking into the creature's eyes. The beast silently stared at her for a few moments, then gave the fledgling a toothy grin. A blood soaked hand slid into the pale, innocent palm, and Seras was thrown out of her mind, waking once more to the desolate cell.

Staring blankly around the room for a moment, the fledgling suddenly realized something was different. The push of the barriers was still felt, but she could sense her awakened vampiric power pushing against them, blocking their intent. She'd finally gained control over her vampire side, and was able to use her powers without the threat of going into bloodlust. Grinning with glee, she concentrated on freeing herself from the shackles which held her to the wall.

Seras suddenly let out a shriek of pain, and pulled her hands and feet back into the shackles. Through pained eyes, she gave the cuffs a closer examination, noticing a ring of grey within the center of each. Silver. The cuffs held silver between two pieces of steel, which had made her body burn with the contact. Growling lowly and clenching her teeth, Seras pushed through again. A hiss escaped her lips as she felt the silver metal scold her skin, her arteries, her bone. Then she was free, and the fledgling collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Ribbons of welts were left on her wrists and ankles, but they were quickly healing before her eyes.

Slowly rising to her feet, Seras stumbled over to the metallic door. The fledgling could see neither a handle, nor any sign of a gap between the wall and door. Swinging her arm, she imbedded her hand into the metal. With a quick pull toward herself, the door collapsed within itself, allowing a space to open on the right side.

Sliding through the gap, Seras stepped into a long hall with several other metal doors lining both sides. Peering down both ends and seeing no one she was about to move to her left when a blast of energy hit her. Stumbling back, clutching her head, the young vampire looked around for signs of the attacker. Deciding the direction she'd chosen was not a good idea, she turned to her right, proceeding down the hall.

Seras followed the corridor for what seemed like several blocks, never seeing a sign of any other person. Every door she found was made of the exact same metal, and were locked. There were no identifiable markers to distinguish the walls from one another. Turning a corner, she was once more met with another hall, this one as long as the last. She could easily lose her way if not careful.

Suddenly Seras heard a scratching noise come from behind the door to her right. Approaching the metal slab cautiously, she was painfully aware of her vulnerability. She wasn't sure she could depend on her now controlled vampire powers, she had no idea where her harkonnen was, nor did she know what dangers lay in wait for her. As she stood before the door, the noises on the other side abruptly stopped. Taking in a little needed breath, she slowly opened door. The sight before her made Seras gasp in horror.

Bodies lay everywhere, many of them mangled beyond recognition. Blood covered the walls and floor, puddling under what remained of the people. Rats scurried over their bodies, intent on finding a suitable dinner. Seras' rage boiled up at the sight of so many bodies, all so ruthlessly murdered. Even vampires killed with a purpose, but this was just slaughter.

Backing out of the room, holding a hand over her mouth, Seras raced down the hall, away from the gruesome sight she'd beheld. _What monster did that!_ she yelled to herself. Then she abruptly stopped her forward progression, finding herself at a crossroads. Before her were two sets of stairs, one leading above and the other below. _So I must be in a basement _she thought. Thinking the best course of action would be to leave the building, she started toward the steps leading up. But another blast of mental energy hit her, and she rubbed her head in annoyance. Someone was certainly enjoying their torment of her.

But getting the hint, Seras took the stairway leading down, eyes scanning forward as the way grew darker. Reaching the bottom, she was once more greeted with a hallway, though the fledgling was able to pierce the darkness and see the end of the corridor. A single door stood at the end, and she was keenly reminded of her capture, where there had also been but one door from which to enter.

Figuring she had no other choice, Seras boldly strode down the corridor and stood in front of the door. Concentrating her senses, she picked up two entities in the room, but one of them had an unusual aura surrounding them. Finding the door had a handle, she quietly turned the knob and crept into the room.

Peering around, Seras noticed with disgust that the room was some sort of testing lab. Several former subjects still lay on many tables, while tools were strewn around the area.

Turning her head, she found one of the occupants she'd sensed, male by the figure, with his back turned to her. Then anger flashed in her eyes, as she recognized the person as being her capture. A low growl escaped her lips, making the man turn at her noise.

Maxwell's eyes widened in surprise for a moment as he recognized Alucard's fledgling, then humor entered their depths. "So you escaped the chains. You surely are his child. Did you enjoy the show on your way here?" he asked, knowing well that she would have passed the mutilation room.

Seras glared at man before her, feeling her fingers lengthen into claws. She was ready to kill this man who had injured her pride, and maybe make him suffer for her indignation. But first, she had a question to ask him.

"Bastard! You're the one who murdered all those people! Why? Why did you kill them!"

Maxwell chuckled, amused by her anger over such a trifle. "I had no further use for such trash" he replied. Then his grin widened. "I believe he would agree with me" the Iscariot said, gesturing to her right. Seras turned her attention to where he pointed.

What she saw nearly stopped her already still heart. There, hanging from the wall, was Alucard. Seras noticed with horror that his body was horribly mutilated. There were several dozen needles attached to his body, extracting his blood into beakers and jars. He appeared to be asleep, or had lost consciousness by the draining of blood.

"What have you done to him?" Seras screamed, turning toward the monster standing before her. _He must have come for me _she thought with some guilt, looking at Alucard out of the corner of her eyes.

"You wished to see your precious master again, did you not? Well, here he is. Though I'm afraid he's unable to speak to you at the moment." A small chuckle escaped his lips as he watched Seras' face change from one of shock to rage.

"I'll make you pay for this, you filth!" Seras yelled, crouching down in a battle stance.

"Are you sure? I can tell you much about your beloved 'master'. Has he told you his real name, who he was?"

"What are you talking about?" Seras asked slowly, not sure if he was toying with her. She remained in her position, but the fierceness in her eyes wavered.

"I'm sure you've heard of the book Dracula, fledgling" Maxwell spoke, grinning. He knew he had her undivided attention. "The monster in the story was horrible, a beast within a man's body. Torturing his victims and feasting on human blood. That monster hangs upon that wall."

The fledgling's eyes widened, remembering when she'd read the book in high school. The monster's name was Dracula, a former prince who had been damned by his own actions. Seras shook her head, stumbling back in disbelief. He had to be lying, there was no way Alucard could be such a bloodthirsty beast. But she realized with growing horror that Maxwell was speaking the truth. The castle in Romania, the name inscribed on the coffin...

"Did you actually believe Vlad the Impaler thought of you as a friend? You're nothing more than a servant, a slave to him" His words slithered out, emphasizing their point. Maxwell circled Seras, taunting and confusing her. "But I know a way to solve all your problems, to be free of your enslavement to a monster. The only way for you to become free is to kill him. Survival of the fittest is the law in the world of vampires. Now you have your chance."

Was he speaking the truth, or was he trying to make her kill her master? If what he said _was_ true, then was her freedom worth such a price? Save herself, or save Alucard, the monster she'd come to love?

Memories came flooding into her, flashing through her vision. Their first meeting, strolling through the woods outside the castle, her turning, their joining with Hellsing, and finally, the last time she had seen Alucard. When he had told her to be strong because she had her own strength, and his.

"Whatever his name was, whoever he used to be, he's not that any more." Seras straightened herself up to her full height, staring Maxwell in the eye. "His name is Alucard, and he is my master."

A frown creased the Iscariot's face for a moment, before the smirk reappeared. "Well then, I see you won't kill him. That is quite all right. I have someone who is more than willing." He snapped his fingers.

From behind Maxwell emerged the vampire Seras had fought in the warehouse, cold eyes gleaming at her. A wild grin covered his face at the prospect of killing.

"I will release what remains of the magic barriers for this fight, to make it more interesting. But I must warn you, Gabriel" he said, gesturing toward the vampire "is a pure blood like yourself. My own fledgling. We'll see if Alucard's blood is as strong as mine."

So said, Gabriel launched himself at Seras, snarling in glee. The fight was one-sided from the beginning, a mirror image of their first fight, where he'd had the advantage of surprise. This time Seras had the disadvantage of her hunger, while Maxwell's child was obviously well fed. Gabriel was also well versed in his vampiric powers, while she had only just gained control of her own.

And Maxwell's fledgling took advantage of her weakness, making several deep lacerations across her stomach and face. He took hold of her arm and snapped the bone, while his other hand traced a deep cut along her collar bone. Gabriel then lifted her body above his head, throwing her into one of the operating tables.

But the previous battle had been different, and the change quickly grew apparent as Seras' injuries quickly healed. Now she wasn't just fighting for herself, but her master was in danger. Survival was one thing, but fighting for one's mate was a whole other instinct.

The pain from her nearly healed wounds didn't phase her at all, as Seras launched her body into Gabriel's. Her head collided with his stomach, and they both flew backward with the force of the blow. The male vampire knocked into a far wall, while Seras landed on the floor a few yards away. She quickly rose to her feet, but Maxwell's fledgling remained still against the wall, his head bent in unconsciousness.

Feeling the vampire within her laughing in glee, Seras joined in the feeling. She could sense her powers building, for what reason she didn't know. Then an image came to her mind, and the young vampire's grin widened. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the picture, imagining its form clearly in her mind's eye.

The room suddenly darkened, light becoming shadow and shadow becoming light. Seras could feel her body melting, stretching itself into an endless form of darkness. A sudden rush of dark magic exploded into her, making her shudder in glee with the power it brought.

Maxwell's mouth fell open, as he realized what she was doing. The young fledgling was calling forth her familiars, a last show to his doomed child. Gabriel awakened then, confused by the darkness surrounding the room.

Suddenly hell hounds escaped from her formless body, rushing toward Maxwell's apprentice at a blinding speed. Several connected with his arms, while others trapped his legs in their mouths. The young vampire emerged from her darkened form, though the hounds remained out of her body. Walking toward him, Seras raised her hand, enjoying the slight fear in the other fledgling's face as he watched her claws extend out several inches.

With a grin resembling her sire's, Seras viscously plunged her hand into his chest. Pulling the appendage out, Maxwell's fledgling saw with horror that she held his heart in her hand, blood spilling from the organ. With a last, echoing wail, Gabriel turned to dust, as Maxwell screamed in the background. Seras collapsed to the ground, exhausted of her power, and the hell hounds retreated back into her body.

"You filthy fledgling!" the Iscariot yelled at Seras, eyes blazing with anger. "I'll destroy you for the destruction of my fledgling, and then your master will suffer the same fate." So said, he stalked toward her, a murderous intent in his eyes. And Seras was helpless to defend herself.

Suddenly a mocking laughter filled the room, one very familiar to Seras. Maxwell stopped his approach, looking around the room in confusion. Then awareness flashed in his eyes, as his head quickly turned toward Alucard's body.

The no-longer-prone figure of the master vampire raised his head, eyes glinting and mouth grinning. Alucard easily tore through the bonds holding him, smoothly landing on the ground. Suddenly tubes and beakers alike exploded, as the blood rushed back to its master, but did not enter his body.

"Did you actually think such pathetic machines could hold me?" he asked Maxwell, a mocking tone filling his words. Then he turned to his still panting child, a real smile lighting his face. "And Police Girl, you took far too long to come here."

Seras' eyes widened in understanding, realizing who had awoken her and led her to this room. A grin slowly crept to her face, as the fledgling also comprehended the situation. She had once more passed one of her master's tests, and the elder vampire was indeed proud of her. "Sorry Master" she replied, shakily standing to her feet. The young vampire backed against the wall, knowing full well the force of the battle that was to come.

"Now Maxwell, I'll show you how true vampires do battle."

But the former Iscariot leader didn't hear the elder vampire's words toward him, mesmerized as the blood surrounding Alucard changed his appearance. The liquid seeped into his form, as darkness enveloped the area around him. The familiar strait jacket suit appeared, as the master vampire's hair lengthened.

Maxwell shook himself out of his daze, then proceeded to call forth his own powers. The dark auras coming from the two appeared to be the same, and Alucard rejoiced in that fact. He would indeed enjoy this challenge, the worthy opponent so similar to himself. Revenge, concerning the destruction of Iscariot and Seras' capture, merely fueled the oncoming battle.

Darkness once more turned to light, and light became shadow, as the two master vampires called forth their familiars. Alucard's familiar hell hounds burst from the darkness surrounding him, nipping and biting the air.

Maxwell's familiars were different. Large eagles, their sizes matching Alucard's hounds, soared from the shadows. Their eyes blazed a deep green and their feathers were a dark gold. They flew over their master, their beaks snapping at the challenge of the hounds.

Suddenly the two pushed forward, launching their bodies at each other even as their familiars attacked. The force of their powers connecting sent Seras slamming into the wall, while any object within the room was either blown apart or shoved out of the way.

Seras saw Alucard draw the Cassul and fire several times into Maxwell's body. The Iscariot appeared to be unaffected by the silver cartridges, pulling his own large handgun. He shot a round into the master vampire, who staggered back in shock and amusement. The fledgling wondered at her master's behavior, until a smell wafted to her nose. Holy water. Maxwell had filled his bullets full of holy water.

But neither stood still for long, as each pushed the bullets from their bodies and slammed into one another. At the close range they were in, the vampire's raised their guns and commenced to slam the butts of the weapons into the other's face. Maxwell was the first to lose his weapon, with one of Alucard's familiars sliding up and ripping his arm off. The appendage regenerated, but without the handgun. The Iscariot was able to grab Alucard's wrist with his still intact hand, and wrenched the Cassul from his grasp with his teeth. Now unarmed, the combatants used their fists, breaking bones and slicing into tendon with their bare hands.

Seras felt so useless right now. The young vampire had barely enough strength to stand, and in her weakened state she couldn't call forth her own familiars. She could only look on as Alucard and Maxwell battled, as the clash of black and gold mingled in a writhing sea of blood and flesh. Neither vampire appeared to be gaining ground. Maxwell's eagles had the advantage of flight, while Alucard's had the advantage of low ground attacks.

The eagles suddenly screeched, the scratching sound echoing off the confined area. Seras covered her ears in pain, as the sound blasted her sensitive organ. She could see her master's hounds howl, but not in pain. They appeared to be enjoying the feeling, as they fell into the battle more gleefully than before.

Suddenly one of Alucard's familiars was able to catch an eagle off guard, sending the bird crashing to the ground. The hound was on the eagle in a second, tearing its stomach open and spreading the flesh across the floor. Maxwell yelled in pain, as he felt the bird's body rip apart. Alucard saw his weakness, and caught another eagle in the air, his hound ripping the bird's head off with its powerful jaws.

Now Seras could see a clear advantage for her master, as his hounds began picking off Maxwell's eagles one by one. The Iscariot's physical body, on the other hand, was still proving to be a problem. Both vampires had managed to retrieve their weapons, and Maxwell was making great use of his gun. The silver bullets were still having no effect on him, and his own blessed rounds were quite a nuisance for Alucard.

But the master vampire had a trick up his sleeve, as he revealed the Jackal from within the darkness surrounding him. Maxwell didn't have a chance to dodge the powerful weapon, as Alucard shot the full round into his chest. The close range shot kicked the Iscariot back several yards, slamming him into a far wall. The eagles retreated with their master, surrounding his body while he rose to his feet.

"Come on, Vatican" Alucard taunted with glee, his eyes glowing with excitement. "Is that all you have?"

Maxwell shakily stood on his feet, the eagles around him wavering. He was losing control of his powers, and was having trouble maintaining the energy sapping familiars. Anger flashed across his face, and with a loud yell he was running toward Alucard. The master vampire merely had his familiars attack the oncoming Iscariot, ripping off his legs and destroying the last of the eagles.

Maxwell collapsed to the ground, his mouth open in a silent scream. But seeing Alucard approach him, he clenched his teeth and sat as high as his position allowed him.

"Why can't I destroy you, monster!"

Alucard stopped before the fallen Iscariot, amusement still on his face. Bending down on one knee, he came face to face with Maxwell.

"Because my blood was not kept in your lab, Iscariot" he answered, his grin widening as understanding came to Maxwell's face. "Even with all the vampire blood in the world in your body, you would still not be able to defeat me."

Standing, Alucard drew out of the darkness a long blade, one which Maxwell recognized immediately. Anderson's. "I think your little pet project would have been honored to have freed your soul, Maxwell." With a swipe, Alucard removed the Iscariot's arms, then his head. Calling his familiars, he had them devour the body, which he could see was trying to regenerate itself.

Calling back his hounds, his normal attire reappeared and the room returned to it's original lighting.

"Master!" Seras yelled, rushing to Alucard. She slid her hands around his waist, hugging him tight. "You did it!" she exclaimed, tears of joy running down her face.

Petting her hair, Alucard looked down at the bloody spot where Maxwell had sat. "Quite a battle, eh Police Girl?" Receiving no response, he looked down and a grin slowly spread across his face.

The young vampire stood unconscious against his chest, arms still tightly wrapped around him. The sun was rising, and the vampiric sleep had overtaken his exhausted child. Chuckling to himself, Alucard took Seras in his arms and disappeared into the night.


	34. Future

A/N: Out of complete paranoia in regards to having my story removed completely by the Fanfiction Nazis I have entirely cut out the sexual scene in the chapter, meaning the ending makes very little sense. My homepage will be the only place the story in its entirety will be shown, and my paranoia apologizes for any inconveniences brought about by itself.

After a long delay, here is the final chapter. I apologize for the lack of updating. At the last moment, I was forced to leave my computer at college over the winter break.

_A bright future_

_For the lovers ensnared. _

Seras slowly roused from her sleep, feeling too comfortable to want to move. Cracking an eye, she saw the last rays of the setting sun shine behind the window's heavy curtain. Her mouth opened in a yawn, when a confusing thought suddenly came to her. Her room had no such window, nor did she ever remember waking to something lying on her hip. Cautiously turning her head, she looked at what was holding her. A gloved hand lay over her hip, with another wrapped under her. She swung her head up, only to meet with the amused face of Alucard.

Then Seras realized she wasn't lying in her bed, nor even in her own room. This was her master's bedroom, and her body was being held tightly to his chest. With a faint blush rising to her face, she vainly struggled to be free of his grasp.

"Uncomfortable, Seras?" Alucard whispered in her ear, making the blond freeze in her attempts to escape.

Seras' blush deepened as she felt his breath on the back of her neck, but she made no more attempts to free herself. Alucard's hands began tracing small circles on her hips, which she suddenly noticed were without damage.

"You've learned to regenerate your clothing" he said, noticing her puzzled expression. "You entertained me quite well last night" her master spoke, nuzzling her hair. "Perhaps I shall reward you later." Seras quietly whimpered as she felt him move away from her, making Alucard chuckle. "But before we depart to Romania, there are a few people for us to see."

Alucard disappeared as Seras rose from the bed. _Probably to arrange for a boat _she supposed, preparing the coffin beside the bed for their journey. Her master returned within an hour, a mysteriously pleased grin on his face. Not wishing to pry, and knowing well he would answer only in his own time, she didn't ask the reason for his amusement. And with their transportation taken care of and their coffin sent to the boat, Alucard and Seras traveled to the Hellsing mansion.

"Enrico Maxwell, supposed dead after the fall of Iscariot" Integra said, a cigar nestled between her fingers. The two vampires now stood before the leader of Hellsing, with Seras making her report. After all, the young vampire had been a member of a Hellsing squad, if only for a short period. Though the report was a revised version of the truth, at Alucard's insistence.

"Who better to produce a vampiric chip?" Walter said, nodding his head. "The Vatican had extensive knowledge of vampires, and had even created half vampires with the establishment of the regenerators."

"By the way, has either of you seen Commander Burns?" Integra suddenly asked, looking to Alucard. "He hasn't shown for duty yet."

"If the report is done, then we bid you farewell, Miss Hellsing" Alucard said, bowing. "Our deal with Hellsing is over." Thus avoiding the question, the master vampire wrapped an arm around Seras and disappeared from the office.

The young fledgling was surprised and happy to see where Alucard had taken her. The couple stood in front of the small mansion of Helena, the doors opening in an inviting way. They entered the small home, finding the child vampire sitting in her customary chair. She greeted her guests, then turned her attention to Seras.

"I see you have grown much since we last met" she said, giving the fledgling vampire a smile.

"Yes, thanks to you and Master Alucard" Seras acknowledged, returning a smile of her own.

Alucard stepped forward, kneeling before the small vampire.

"Another parting, old friend" he said, grinning.

"Then your mission was successful?" she asked. Receiving a nod from both of them, she curtsied. "Then I bid you a good journey and a long life together" Helena spoke, as she watched Alucard rise to his feet.

Alucard bowed and Seras waved a final farewell, as they both disappeared in a dark portal. They appeared on the port docks, watching as the coffin was put aboard the ship. Transporting themselves into the ship, they phased through the tightly wrapped coffin. During the trip, Seras snuggled up to Alucard's chest. This time not because she was cold, but because she wanted to.

After a few days, the vampires arrived at their destination, quickly dropped off by a very nervous delivery company before the walls of the castle. When the cart had driven away, they emerged from the bed. London had its perks, but Seras for one was glad to have returned to her master's home. And the surroundings were as if they'd never left. The castle still stood with its lofty ceilings and cobblestone halls. A little dustier than when they had left the keep, but still in standing condition.

Seras looked up at the sky, watching as birds soared overhead. _What freedom they have _she thought with joy. But a sudden thought came to her, dampening her spirits. She turned to her master, who had noticed the change in mood.

"Master, is what Maxwell said true? Do I have to kill you in order to be free?" Seras asked, a serious tone to her voice.

Seras watched as Alucard removed his sunglasses. Her master had rarely taken them off since they left the castle, at the very beginning of their adventure.

"My blood, not my life, will set you free, though fledglings have been known to kill their masters as a right of initiation." He suddenly returned her serious expression with one of his own. "I have a question for you, Seras. Why did you return to Romania?" he asked, cupping her chin in his hands. He brought her face up so she was looking into his eyes.

Seras appeared to be pondering her answer. She looked up to the night sky, admiring the brilliant stars. A habit she had acquired from Alucard. _There are so many, I could get lost in them_ she thought. Slowly turning to Alucard, her face seemed to relax.

"I came back in the hopes of finding something I'd lost. I was so peaceful here" she answered, giving Alucard a small smile. "And I couldn't find such a feeling anywhere else."

Pleased with the answer and seeing the sky lighten in the east, Alucard replaced his glasses and guided Seras to the catacombs, eventually coming before the blood-engraved door. The young vampire suddenly remembered the question she'd wanted to ask since her eyes first fell upon the symbol. Catching a hold of her master's sleeve, she pointed to the massive wooden portal.

"Master, what is the blood on the door?"

"Alucard" he said.

"What?" Seras asked, confusion written on her face.

"Call me Alucard" her master answered, smiling.

"Alucard" Seras whispered, liking the way the name slid off her tongue. "But you still haven't answered my question" she said, unperturbed by his distraction.

Alucard silently looked at his child for a moment, then a small smile crept across his face.

"Do you remember in the novel Dracula that van Hellsing was supposed to have destroyed me?"

"Yes" she acknowledged, nodding her head.

"Merely a trick I created" he said, chuckling. "The fools were so relieved to find the eucharist burn gone from Mina's forehead that none bothered with my body any longer. After they'd gone, I managed to drag my battered corpse into my castle and down into the catacombs, where I slept. But unbeknownst to his compatriots, Van Hellsing had returned and discovered my body missing. With the traditional methods of slaying vampires useless against me, he returned to my castle and sealed me in the room where my coffin still lies."

Alucard chuckled, remembering the old man's pointless efforts.

"He must have hoped the spell would last for eternity, but nothing in this world does." Alucard's grin faltered slightly, but Seras squeezed his arm to comfort him. He smiled at his fledgling and continued. "Fortunately, I was able to break the seals after fifty years. Too late to take vengeance on the ones who had tried to destroy me, but I relished my freedom in other ways."

Seras knew he meant the destruction of the Iscariot organization, but a question still nagged at her.

"Was he terrified of you that much, Alucard?" Seras asked curiously.

"Van Hellsing's pride was injured because he could not destroy me" Alucard said with a smirk. "And what better way to hide the reality than to hide the failure? He may have also heard rumors that vampires could have offspring, and feared I would do so."

"Can vampires have children?" Seras asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

Alucard gave her a mischievous grin as he suddenly took her into his arms. He nuzzled her hair affectionately, letting his hands travel to her waist.

"Would you like to find out?" Alucard whispered into Seras' ear, nipping at her.

Seras shivered at his tender touches, his mouth brushing against her neck. Her only response was to shorten the distance between their bodies to a few inches. Reaching up, she removed the dark glasses and looked into her master's ruby red eyes. The same eyes he had given her. Suddenly she was pulled up, their lips meeting in a lustful kiss. Seras opened her mouth to his, allowing their tongues to slide against each other.

"Be gentle, okay" Seras said shyly, pulling back from the kiss. "This is my first time."

Alucard merely smiled, enveloping her lips in another passionate kiss. Pulling his hands free from the gloves, he let the pieces of cloth drop to the ground. Bare skin touched the shimmering sleekness of her hips, as he slid his hands under her short shirt, causing Seras to moan into the kiss. He brushed his hands along her sides, finally resting them on her hips.

Alucard and his new bride lay in each other's arms, enjoying the lasting warmth of their lovemaking. Both could sense the new life growing within Seras' womb, becoming stronger with each passing moment.

**The End**

A/N: Right here, I'd name everyone whoever reviewed my story. But the list is, happily and surprisingly, too long 0.0 So I'll just thank you guys again! Also, the sequel to the story is called "A New Life."


End file.
